Siddharth Juyal
Manchester United legend Gary Neville is wary of the Qatari takeover despite his desire to see the Glazers out
Manchester United legend Gary Neville talked to MARCA (h/t Manchester Evening News) to stress that the Qatari takeover will attract greater scrutiny at the club.
The 48-year-old football pundit believes that if a state owns a club of United’s stature, it will invite more scrutiny. The Red Devils garnered a massive fan base and a global presence during the reign of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are currently the two candidates attempting to purchase United. The Glazers rejected a £5 billion bid made by the two parties.
Neville told MARCA (h/t Manchester Evening News) that he wants certain ownership to stop the exploitation of English football. He said:
“I am not opposed to ‘state-clubs’. I have not opposed Newcastle or Manchester City. I think United will be under greater scrutiny because the size of the club is enormous.”
“The reality is that Abu Dhabi has owned Manchester City for 15 years, so I think the important thing in English football is that the control of the owners, not only of the ‘state-clubs’, but also of the venture capital funds that are entering the Premier League to exploit English football.”
The former United defender further insisted on the need to maintain competency and quality in the Premier League, saying:
“The Premier League is an incredible product: it’s loved around the world, it’s brilliant to watch, the stadiums are high quality… it’s miles ahead of the other leagues in terms of revenue. “
“But it must maintain its competitive balance at the national level and we also need there to be a competitive balance at the international level in the other European leagues. I’m passionate about that. That’s why I spoke as I did about the Super League.”
In early September, Daily Mail reported that the Glazers had set the club’s valuation at £10 billion. The report further suggested Glazer’s desire to take the club off the market once no suitable bid arrives.
United fans have protested against the American business family since they took control of the club in 2005. The Red Devils fans have accused the owners of stealing more than £1 billion from their beloved club.
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Neville has been a vocal critic of the Glazers and never hid his feelings about the ownership at the club. The former United defender will be as happy as any Red Devils fan when the Glazers leave the club. We think that United fans have reached a point where any new owner is better than the ones they have.
