Manchester United icon Gary Neville has harshly criticized the club’s proprietors, the Glazer family, for their hesitancy concerning their potential divestment.
In a previous statement last November, the Glazers had conceded to the possibility of welcoming outside investment or even a full acquisition from an interested party.
Investors Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani have expressed interest in the famed club, placing their offers on the table. However, the Glazers have yet to reveal a favored investor, despite the fact they had set an original deadline of April 28th for the procedure to be finalized.
Sheikh Jassim, undeterred by the delay, recently made his fifth – and declared ‘final’ – offer for absolute control of Man Utd. His confidence remains unshaken in gaining an upper hand over Ratcliffe, even though the club has downplayed rumors of initiating an exclusive negotiation period with the Qatari.
Since the Glazers’ takeover in 2005, their presence has been met with universal criticism from Man Utd enthusiasts who have yearned for a change in leadership.
The discontent was palpable when Neville expressed his displeasure over the extended sale process on BBC Radio 5 Live. “It’s embarrassing. But it’s what they have done, drag everything out. Always in their best interests,” he decried. He further lambasted the Glazers by saying, “Fans not being updated by owners on ownership’s sale is not good enough but it’s fitting with how they have operated for 20 years now.”
Avram Glazer, the co-chairman of Man Utd, whose presence at Old Trafford has been scarce over nearly two decades of tenure, made appearances at the club’s three cup finals this season at Wembley. He was in the crowd during the men’s team victory against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and their FA Cup defeat to Man City. He also showed up to watch the women’s team in their FA Cup loss to Chelsea.
