Manchester United legend urges Glazers to leave as supporter group fears 18-month saga

Manchester United fans hold banners calling for the club’s owners, The Glazers, to leave, during the UEFA Europa league quarter-final, first leg football match between Manchester United and Sevilla at Old Trafford stadium in Manchester, north west England, on April 13, 2023.

Manchester United need the ownership situation resolved as soon as possible, one club legend has said.

In November 2022, Manchester United’s owners the Glazer family announced they were considering selling the club as part of “exploring strategic alternatives”. Bids from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos and Sheikh Jassim are the only two left on the table, and while nobody expected a speedy conclusion to the sale, nine months on from that the Glazers remain in charge.

Despite plenty of claims, and counter-claims, no deal has been agreed and Manchester United approach the new season under an enormous cloud of uncertainty.

David Beckham, now the current co-owner of Inter Miami, played 394 times for Manchester United across 11 years at the club. The Glazers didn’t own the club during his time at Old Trafford, and speaking to The Athletic, Beckham suggests they should leave.

“Is it time for the Glazers to leave? I think so,” he said. “I think it’s purely because the fans want it.

“Once you lose the fans, especially at a club like Manchester United, it’s hard to get them back. Obviously, they have achieved a lot, but there needs to be a change. We’ve all seen that, we all know that.”

David Beckham of Manchester United celebrates after scoring the third goal in the 1996 FA Charity Shield between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on August 11, 1996 in London, England.

Beckham’s comments come as the 1958 Group, a Manchester United supporters group leading the protests against the Glazers, highlighted their concern at the sale process dragging on for too long, suggesting the saga could end up being a full 18 months.

“Look at the length of time it took for Newcastle to go through,” a 1958 Group spokesperson told the BBC.

“That was £300m and Mike Ashley wanted to sell. That took 18 months. This is possibly a £6bn takeover and you have got six Glazer siblings to please. [So far] it is eight months. It is frustrating – but it could be a year. It could be 18 months.”

They added: “If there is any involvement for the Glazers, in any minority, we will still push to get them out.

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“But people have spent a lifetime protesting against this ownership. It would leave a bitter taste in the mouth to still have them there.”

Joel Glazer

Manchester United transfer news is starting to come thick and fast.

The Red Devils haven’t given up hope of signing Victor Osimhen, despite the striker looking set to stay at Napoli. Meanwhile, Ten Hag and co could face competition from Arsenal in the race for Monaco and France defender Axel Disasi.

As for potential outgoings, Nottingham Forest have been linked with a double swoop for two of United’s top young talents.