United takeover war looms

14 April 2012

The prospect of a takeover battle for Manchester United hotted up today as American entrepreneur Malcolm Glazer made a new move on the club.

Standard Sport can reveal that the financier acting on behalf of Glazer's son Joel has reactivated discussions regarding a takeover strategy.

The news of this comes as Glazer increased his stake in the club to 16.31 per cent as he purchased five million shares from the Dutch television tycoon John de Mol.

De Mol, the inventor of the hit programme Big Brother, also sold three per cent yesterday to the Irish duo John Magnier and JP McManus.

The flurry in share purchases saw the value of United soar to £708million and the share price hit a three and a half year high.

Sources at the Germanbacked Commerzbank say that one of their senior figures Mehmet Dalman, acting for the Glazer's, opened discussions with a top City figure before Christmas about a strategy for United. Contact was made again earlier this month on behalf of the Americans who own the 2003 Superbowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Although the Irish duo kept up the pressure on United and Sir Alex Ferguson with whom they are in dispute with their latest purchase, it is still believed they regard the shares as an investment and would sell a proportion of them in the event of any takeover.

Relations between United board and Magnier are now said to be more amicable and all the indications are they may soon ask for director representation to protect their investment.

Given that they own 28.89 per cent United could not resist this demand and it would also increase the pressure on Ferguson to end his row with Magnier over the race horse Rock Of Gibraltar.

The United manager suffered another blow last night when his team were beaten 3-2 by Middlesbrough at Old Trafford, leaving Arsenal with a five-point lead at the top of the Premiership.

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