Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus has reiterated his interest in buying Manchester United and is calling on the Glazer family to “put a price tag” on the club. Zilliacus told BBC Sport that his second bid remains on the table and he is willing to pay a premium above what he offered. He expressed his refusal to participate in a third round of bidding, claiming it would be “highly unprofessional”.
Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted a second bid to buy the Old Trafford club last month. The Glazer family, who bought the club for £790m in 2005, announced they were considering selling in November and have established a valuation of £5bn-6bn.
Zilliacus agreed with the Manchester United Supporters Trust that the current impasse is likely to hinder manager Erik ten Hag’s summer squad building programme. He stated that he cannot see the Glazers spending a lot of money on new players if they have decided to sell the club, as this would have a negative impact on the club.
The former chairman of Finland’s leading club, HJK Helsinki, also said he was shocked at Old Trafford’s exclusion from the list of the stadiums put forward by the Football Association as a preferred host ground at Euro 2028. United could not offer guarantees work at Old Trafford would be completed in time, due to lack of recent significant investment in the ground and the continuing uncertainty over the ownership. Zilliacus argued that Old Trafford is one of three stadiums in England that people travel to see, making its exclusion a real shame.
In conclusion, Thomas Zilliacus has reiterated his interest in buying Manchester United and is calling on the Glazer family to set a price tag for the club. He has expressed his refusal to participate in a third round of bidding, claiming it would be “highly unprofessional”. He also believes that if the Glazers have decided to sell the club, they will not be investing money into new players, which could have a negative impact on the club. Lastly, he expressed his shock at Old Trafford’s exclusion from the list of stadiums put forward by the Football Association as a preferred host ground at Euro 2028, arguing that it is one of three stadiums in England that people travel to see.