British tycoon Ratcliffe's public announcement of his intention to buy Manchester United has led to new ripples. According to the Daily Mail, he has thrown out an olive branch of £4 billion, a price far lower than the £6 billion demanded by the Glasha family, United's owners, seemingly casting a shadow over the prospects of the deal.
Since the Glasha family announced the sale of Manchester United in November last year, Ratcliffe has been the first buyer to make his intentions clear. Given his own deep affection for the Red Devils, he was once seen as the favorite to become the new owner of United. However, Ratcliffe's willingness to take over for only £4 billion has drastically reduced the likelihood of a successful deal.
The Glasha family believe that Manchester United is worth at least £6 billion, especially considering the case of Chelsea, which was bought by an American consortium for £4.25 billion last year, and deserves to be worth no less than that. In fact, according to the latest statistics, United are currently the most valuable club in the Premier League, with a market capitalization of £4.8 billion, just behind Liverpool's £3.8 billion and Manchester City's £3.5 billion.
The £4 billion offer from Ratcliffe, who has a £15 billion fortune, looks low, while the £6 billion insisted on by the Glasha family is too harsh, and the two sides are expected to engage in some intense haggling.
