Man Utd takeover: UAE investors in talks with David Beckham in bid to oust Glazers

David Beckham has been approached by a consortium from the United Arab Emirates to back a takeover bid at Manchester United which would, in turn, need the Glazers to sell up.

Manchester United legend David Beckham has been approached to front a fresh takeover bid at Old Trafford. An unknown consortium from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is gearing up to make an offer for the Glazers’ majority shares in the club.

The consortium wants ex-England star Beckham to act as an ambassador for that bid, given his worldwide fame, boasting existing ownership stakes in Inter Miami and Salford City. The group will offer the 50-year-old, who has a net worth of £300million, the chance to invest in United.

The former Red Devils midfielder is the consortium’s preferred choice to front the bid. However, other ex-players, including Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney, have been considered.

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United legend Beckham has been critical of the Glazers’ controversial ownership in the past, but they would only consider offers of more than £5billion for their stake. That figure is more than double what the club is currently worth on the stock market. The Glazers took control two decades ago in a £790m deal, and the club’s current value is only around £2bn.

However, the US businessmen would demand a big premium to cover any possible future increase in United’s value if the club pursues plans to build a new state-of-the-art stadium. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos took over football operations after purchasing a 27.7 per cent stake in February 2024, which has since grown to nearly 29 per cent.

Despite Ratcliffe’s minority takeover, there have been whispers lately suggesting that the United co-owner may be compelled to sell his share due to a clause in an agreement with the Glazers, should they decide to offload their controlling shares.

Earlier this month, club sources revealed the club hierarchy had been taken aback by takeover talk. Saudi Arabian sports bigwig Turki Al-Sheikh caused a stir among supporters and staff at United when he posted on social media suggesting the club was on the verge of new investment.

Despite later clarifying his comments on social media, the rumour mill has been in overdrive ever since.

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