LONDON : Rumours of an eventual Manchester United takeover war increased after billionaire American Malcolm Glazer upped his stake in the English Premiership club by just over two percent.
Glazer increased his share ownership from 14.25 to 16.31 percent less than 24 hours after John Magnier and JP McManus did the same thing, fuelling rumours of a takeover war between the two camps.
A decision by the Irish pair - who are still fueding with club coach Sir Alex Ferguson - not to take up the full stake of Dutch media tycoon John de Mol has been seen as a sign they are not interested in buying the club outright.
Magnier and McManus own 28.8 percent of United through their Cubic Expression company and while Glazer's recent acquisition of an extra 5.4 million shares still leaves him way behind the Irish pair, it raises the possibility of the American attempting to gain complete control of the club.
Many United fans, and indeed the club's board and some shareholders, are hostile to the idea of a Magnier and McManus takeover because it would hand control to a single body.
The Irish pair's scrutiny of Ferguson's management of the club and the part played by Ferguson's son Jason - a football agent for United - has only intensified that hostility, which has also been fulled by Ferguson's row with Magnier over the stud rights to champion race horse Rock of Gibraltar.
Glazer, the owner of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers NFL franchise, could be seen as a more friendly figure by the United support, even though he has developed a reputation in the business world for being completely ruthless.
However, influential fans groups such as Shareholders United and the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, while wary over Cubic Expression, are equally determined to prevent any single body gaining control of the club.
On Wednesday night fans staged a demonstration against Magnier and McManus ahead of the Premiership defeat against Middlesbrough and news of Glazer's increased interest is likely to meet with an equally cool response.
"Our message to any potential suitor is exactly the same," said IMUSA chairman Jules Spencer.
"Manchester United is not for sale."
http://www.channelnewsasia.com
Glazer increased his share ownership from 14.25 to 16.31 percent less than 24 hours after John Magnier and JP McManus did the same thing, fuelling rumours of a takeover war between the two camps.
A decision by the Irish pair - who are still fueding with club coach Sir Alex Ferguson - not to take up the full stake of Dutch media tycoon John de Mol has been seen as a sign they are not interested in buying the club outright.
Magnier and McManus own 28.8 percent of United through their Cubic Expression company and while Glazer's recent acquisition of an extra 5.4 million shares still leaves him way behind the Irish pair, it raises the possibility of the American attempting to gain complete control of the club.
Many United fans, and indeed the club's board and some shareholders, are hostile to the idea of a Magnier and McManus takeover because it would hand control to a single body.
The Irish pair's scrutiny of Ferguson's management of the club and the part played by Ferguson's son Jason - a football agent for United - has only intensified that hostility, which has also been fulled by Ferguson's row with Magnier over the stud rights to champion race horse Rock of Gibraltar.
Glazer, the owner of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers NFL franchise, could be seen as a more friendly figure by the United support, even though he has developed a reputation in the business world for being completely ruthless.
However, influential fans groups such as Shareholders United and the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, while wary over Cubic Expression, are equally determined to prevent any single body gaining control of the club.
On Wednesday night fans staged a demonstration against Magnier and McManus ahead of the Premiership defeat against Middlesbrough and news of Glazer's increased interest is likely to meet with an equally cool response.
"Our message to any potential suitor is exactly the same," said IMUSA chairman Jules Spencer.
"Manchester United is not for sale."
http://www.channelnewsasia.com
