Manchester United sale twist: Finance expert reveals truth behind Qatar’s massive bid

The Glazers want over £10bn to sell Manchester United, exposing greed and football’s broken ownership model
Manchester United stand at the crossroads of history and business. It blends glory with profit and pits tradition against ambition. Over the past decade, the club’s dominance has faded into a slow battle for control. The fight now happens in the boardroom, not on the pitch. The Glazer family keeps a firm grip on the club, and their intentions grow clearer with every report. They now demand £10 billion, showing they chase financial gain instead of footballing success.
Football finance expert Dan Plumley told Football Insider that the Glazers refuse to sell unless they receive an exceptional bid. He said both Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s minority investment and the earlier Qatari bid failed to meet their price. Plumley believes the Glazers want offers above £5 billion before they consider leaving.
“I think it’s unlikely [a takeover] will be how it’s played out. When Ratcliffe came in we saw how that played out.
“A big bid from Qatar, we were led to believe that was a full takeover, and it wasn’t at the price that the Glazers wanted. I’ve always suggested that they are after a higher price for their exit, which is certainly more than £5billion. There have been rumours that they want £10billion in the future to exit.
“With football clubs, though, we say it all the time they’re really for sale, if the right offer comes in then people will listen.”
This matches what we reported earlier, that the Glazers set a price tag for Manchester United as Saudi billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh weighs a potential takeover bid. Insiders admit that a full sale could take years. Manchester United takeover talks point to 2027 as the earliest possible timeline. As football’s financial landscape changes, the Glazers play the long game. Supporters, however, keep waiting for something to shift.
Greed or Vision? The Divide at Old Trafford
Many fans will see the Glazers’ £10 billion demand as pure greed. It exposes football’s broken ownership model. Their price shows they care more about making money than building a stronger club. Since their 2005 takeover, they have loaded Manchester United with possibly over £500 million in debt.
That move turned the club from a proud institution into a business venture. Their “for sale if the price is right” mindset weakens the bond with fans and fuels average results on the pitch. The Glazers keep collecting dividends while trophies fade. Their cycle of profit drains the soul out of football. The Premier League must set stronger ownership rules, and fans must push reforms to bring back the sport’s heart.
Some might argue that the Glazers’ £10 billion valuation actually underestimates United’s real worth. The club commands over 1.1 billion followers worldwide and earns more than £600 million every year from commercial deals.
Ratcliffe’s £1.3 billion investment shows investor confidence. Ventures like esports and Asia-Pacific tours promise even more growth. United’s scale outshines Liverpool’s £4.5 billion valuation. Many might believe that the Glazers are showing business sense, not arrogance. As new investors wait for the right moment, United could rise again as a global entertainment force that stretches far beyond football.