Man Utd forced to step up security for Copenhagen clash after news Glazers are set to stay at club
MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly stepping up security ahead of their next home game amid the news that the Glazer family are staying.
Sheikh Jassim pulled OUT of the race to own United after accusing the Glazers of demanding an “outlandish” price to sell the club.
Nine months of detailed negotiations ended on Saturday when the Qatari withdrew his £5bn bid and told the Glazers he is no longer interested.
Now Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who is believed to be proposing to purchase just a 25 per cent share of the Red Devils, is the option left on the table.
And that proposal looks set to be ratified at a board meeting later this week.
That means that the Glazers, who announced in November that they were open to a sale, will still own three quarters of the Premier League giants – leaving supporters furious.
United fans have already staged numerous protests demanding they sell and leave the club.
And this fresh scenario could trigger more outrage when FC Copenhagen head to Old Trafford in the Champions League next Tuesday.
The Red Devils are also at home in the derby with Manchester City the Saturday afterwards and there has been talk among supporter groups of a walkout or potential boycott.
Even though the arrival of Ratcliffe will no doubt be welcomed, the club’s security staff are planning for potential unrest while planning for the upcoming games.
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Cops have confirmed that they are working closely with the club as Chief Superintendent Collette Rose said: “Greater Manchester Police (GMP) will be assisting Manchester United outside Old Trafford during the match with Copenhagen.
“Officers will be highly visible to maintain safety, while facilitating the right to peaceful protest.
“GMP has significant experience in policing public demonstrations and live events and officers liaise with local football clubs, as well as partner agencies, on a regular basis to ensure football fixtures pass with as little disruption as possible, so everyone can enjoy the game.”
Sheikh Jassim only had interest in buying the club outright and saw no fewer than five bids rejected over the course of the year before we then revealed that a SIXTH offer after what were said to be “further and final discussions and negotiations” was also rejected in the past few days.
That proved to be the final straw for Sheikh Jassim as he is believed to have told the Americans that their £6bn-plus valuation of a club with a New York Stock Exchange capitalisation of £2.7bn that they were asking for a “fanciful and outlandish” price.
He was adamant that his cash bid would have cleared all of United’s existing debt and would have funded a rebuild of both Old Trafford and the club’s Carrington training ground.
It would also have allowed him to spend an additional £1.4bn on transfers.
But, after more wrangling from the Glazers, he decided to walk away from any potential deal and would NOT be back in the frame.
That now leaves the Glazers, who have been in charge of United since the siblings’ late father Malcolm took it over in a £790m deal in 2005, seemingly set to continue owning the majority of the club even with Ratcliffe’s arrival.
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