Paul Scholes backs Beckham as United owner but Butt warns Glazers demand £8bn

Paul Scholes has publicly backed former England captain David Beckham as a potential Manchester United owner, telling podcast co-hosts he would welcome anyone capable of ending the Glazer family’s grip on the club — though Nicky Butt quickly tempered expectations by pointing to the Glazers’ reported £8bn asking price.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Football, Scholes was asked by presenter Paddy McGuinness whether Beckham, his former team-mate and fellow co-owner of Salford City through the Class of 92 group, could realistically take over at Old Trafford. “I don’t see why not, if they’ve got the wealth to do it,” Scholes said. “We all know what the feeling around the club is about the Glazers, so I’d be open to anybody.”

Scholes added that Beckham would likely take a hands-off role if his name were attached to a consortium, drawing a comparison with the former England captain’s involvement at Inter Miami in MLS. “He won’t be present at games like at Inter Miami, I suppose,” Scholes noted, before questioning the current ownership structure. “These owners haven’t worked, and I know Jim Ratcliffe’s only been there for two and a half years, but it just hasn’t worked so far, has it?”

Butt was more measured in his assessment. “The biggest problem you’ve got is the Glazers will want a piece of the pie,” he said, flagging the valuation as a near-insurmountable barrier. The Beckhams’ combined net worth is estimated at around £1.1bn, according to the BBC — a figure that falls well short of the reported £8bn the Glazers place on the club.

Ratcliffe, the INEOS CEO who became a minority shareholder in 2024 and assumed control of sporting operations, has faced mounting criticism during his tenure. United are on their third manager in as many years, and Ratcliffe’s public comments on immigration and a programme of large-scale redundancies at the club have drawn widespread condemnation from supporters.

The backdrop to the discussion is a turbulent Premier League season for United, with the club’s long-term ownership structure continuing to dominate the agenda among fans and former players alike.