Manchester United legend David Beckham is reportedly open to holding ‘talks’ over potentially joining a bid to buy the club as he seeks to expand his football ownership empire that includes Major league Soccer (MLS) side Inter Miami.
According to the Financial Times, Beckham is ready to discuss United with potential bidders, who could look to recruit the football icon to bolster their chances of buying the club from the Glazer family.
The 47-year-old’s Red Devils history and relationship with supporters could be two significant factors in any deal, although he can’t afford to launch a takeover alone.
The development comes just days after United announced that Cristiano Ronaldo had agreed by mutual consent to leave the club following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which he criticised the club owners of ‘not caring’ at all for the club apart from doing commercial business.
Shortly after announcing the striker’s departure, the Glazer family announced that the club had been put up for sale, entrusting Raine Group, which brokered the £4.25 billion sale of Chelsea earlier this year, to be in charge of the sale.
A source close to the former midfielder revealed that Beckham has been previously approached by potential bidders for the Manchester outfit.
One banker close to the process said United could be sold for close to £7bn; a bidding war could send it higher, they added. However, some footballing finance experts have said that even a £4bn-£5bn price tag was too high for a club that was unprofitable last year. At these valuations, prospective owners need to have deep pockets, with investors perhaps based in the US or the Middle East eyeing the football club, analysts said.
While Beckham cannot afford to fund the purchase on his own, his wealth and longstanding history with United could prove an important part of an investment consortium.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of petrochemicals group Ineos, has in the past year declared his interest in United. Other potential buyers could include private equity pair Josh Harris and David Blitzer, and another group led by basketball moguls Stephen Pagliuca and Larry Tanenbaum, who were shortlisted to buy Chelsea Football Club earlier this year.
Various investors have approached Beckham in the past to gauge his desire to back potential bids for Manchester United, according to a person close to him. However, those talks never progressed.
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