Given that the Glazers are apparently ready to sell, Manchester United could be the next Premier League franchise to be sold.
Newcastle United used to keep an eye out for teams towards the bottom of the Premier League less than a year ago. They now support Manchester City’s errors and take an active interest in the takeover sagas involving its “Big Six” competitors.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, sees Newcastle as a contender, though they might face a little more opposition if struggling Manchester United returns to their heyday under ownership that cares about the team.
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A full-blown sale of the Premier League heavyweights is now a distinct possibility with the Glazer family poised to formally announce its intention to look into sources of outside financing.
The American owners share Mike Ashley’s turbulent past on Tyneside in terms of reputation. Years of deterioration on the field, unsuccessful signings, a lack of investment in the infrastructure of the stadium and training facility, and poor fan interaction.
So, who could actually purchase the club? Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain, is now in the lead, although interest from the Middle East will definitely be high.
Before purchasing Newcastle, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia had long been associated with the Old Trafford club, with Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan implying that a minority offer may have been on the table in previous years.
Al-Rumayyan remarked in an October interview with Radio Eight: “We received bids from France, Italy, and the UK prior to Newcastle. We received a 30% offer from a UK club for £700 million and management-free.”
As Newcastle attempts to upset the apple cart by dissolving the ‘Big Six’ as we know it, a revitalized Red Devils could be a problem. There is a belief that Eddie Howe’s team can legitimately compete with this Manchester United team on the field and end the season ahead of them.
Liverpool is another club whose ownership is about to change, with Fenway Sports Group (FSG) willing to sell the Merseyside team to the right offerder. Liverpool can provide prospective purchasers with many advantages over Newcastle, including a manager who has nearly all of the trophies at his disposal over the years, established global appeal, and a European past.
The Merseyside company is valued at £3.5 billion by Forbes. For that sum, a plethora of wealthy people, hedge funds, businesses, and more might be interested in taking the helm at Anfield.
Regarding Newcastle, their acquisition seems like a better deal every day. The ownership came expecting results but will be surprised at how quickly Howe turned around the organization.
Newcastle and the ownership will be keeping an eye on what happens in Manchester over the coming months as they assess how much of a threat a revamped Man United might be to their long-term goals.