Glazer family holds internal talks over selling Manchester United stake at £5bn valuation

Several members of the Glazer family are privately exploring the sale of their stakes in Manchester United, according to a Bloomberg report, though the discussions remain fractured and no family-wide consensus has been reached.

The talks are described as individual rather than collective, with some Glazer members resistant to a sale — a dynamic that could complicate or block any deal entirely. Potential buyers would also face a formidable price tag: the Glazers are said to require offers of more than £5 billion, a valuation that factors in the club’s plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium.

The current New York Stock Exchange price places United shares at around $21 (£15.60), implying a market capitalisation of roughly $3.6 billion (£2.7 billion). However, the Glazers’ shares carry enhanced voting rights, which pushes the realistic asking price significantly above that figure.

The family has owned Manchester United for more than two decades and has been the subject of sustained fan protests throughout that period. Avram and Joel Glazer currently serve as executive co-chairmen, while Kevin Glazer, Bryan Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, and Edward Glazer sit on the board as directors.

In February 2024, the Glazers reduced their holding by selling a 27.7 per cent stake to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group for £1.25 billion. Ratcliffe subsequently took charge of football operations at Old Trafford.

Speculation about a full takeover has circulated for some time. Saudi businessman Turki Al-Sheikh hinted in October that a move for the club was possible, though he now appears to be focusing attention on a potential takeover of Championship side Derby County.