Thomas Zilliacus, a former interested party when it comes to takeovers at Manchester United, claims that he would be happy to return to the negotiating table if the Glazer family opened themselves up to a sale. He is prepared to work alongside another investor, be that Sir Jim Ratcliffe or somebody else, with the Finnish entrepreneur stating that he wants to look after the best interests of Premier League heavyweights.
Man Utd takeover: Confirmation of interest after talks claim
Zilliacus formed part of the process in 2023 that eventually led to Ratcliffe and his INEOS group acquiring a 25 per cent stake at Old Trafford and taking control of football operations. Little progress has been made since then, particularly on the field, with a disgruntled fan base continuing to ask uncomfortable questions of those pulling strings behind the scenes.
There has been fresh talk of new owners being sounded out, with Turki Al-Sheikh – a man helping to take major sporting events to Saudi Arabia – claiming that discussions have been held. He posted on social media: "The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor… I hope he’s better than the previous owners."
He went on to say: "Yesterday’s post about Manchester United's potential sale meant one thing: the club is in an advanced negotiation phase with a new investor. Just to clarify, I am not the investor, nor are they from my nation. I'm posting this as a fan who wishes the deal to happen, though it might not necessarily happen."
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It is reported that United are currently valued at around £2 billion ($2.7bn), but a bid in the region of £5.2bn ($6.9bn) would be required in order to tempt the Glazers into a sale – taking into account future increases in value, with the Red Devils piecing together plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium.
Zilliacus says he is prepared to enter into talks, telling the : "Last week, I was sitting and thinking through all the possibilities of investing in Manchester United and drafting a basic plan on how I could approach certain parties to see if something could be done. This is about joining forces with the right parties with the sole aim of bringing Manchester United back to where it should be as the number one club in the world.
"I mean, my love for the club has gone nowhere and I think the opportunity is still there. So I would really welcome an opportunity to talk to the key players and see what can be done. The key players, of course, today, Ratcliffe, then if other parties would be keen to join as well, then that would be great. Some of the investors, I think it's almost everything or nothing, meaning either they own the club alone or they are not interested. So you would have to find the investors who are willing to look at what is best for the club and not what is best for the investor."
Zilliacus willing to work with Ratcliffe & Sheikh Jassim
Zilliacus added on putting supporters at the heart of his project, with the Glazers having vehemently opposed any fan-led initiatives: "I think the Glazers, unfortunately, are a good example of somebody who is not really looking out for the club, but rather using it as a cash cow. But in any case, they are not doing what should be done.
"I have a program that involves the fans who are overseas, who cannot come to watch a game. And my program can evolve in a way that can bring significant new revenues to the club. So with that money the club could do all the things it needs to do to be truly the best football club in the world, where all the best players, the best managers, everybody wants to be there."
He went on to say of potentially working alongside Ratcliffe or fellow former bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani: “"I actually have nothing against working with people like Jim Ratcliffe or any investor, whoever that may be. Because I'm not in this to have a trophy that I can show off to other people. I'm in this to make a club that I've been a fan of since I was 12 years old the best club in the world. My heart cries when I see how things are going today. Manchester United are so far below where the club should be and could be if things were managed the right way.
"When I had made my bid I realised that the Glazers were playing a game where Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim and myself were just trying to outbid each other. So the price was just going higher and higher and higher. I publicly said that this is madness, that this is money that should be used for the club and not to further enrich the Glazers. So I said, 'Why don't we join forces and take over the club together?' I'm still completely open to that, and I would be more than happy to speak to Sheikh Jassim or to Jim Ratcliffe or any other investor about how we could work together."
Getty Images/GOALWhen did the Glazer family complete Man Utd takeover?
The Glazer family completed their takeover of United in 2005. Their reign has faced plenty of opposition down the years, but nobody has been able to put a proposal in place that has convinced the American ownership group to sell up and walk away. That situation has contributed to regression on the pitch, despite big spending in the transfer market, with the Red Devils currently without European competition in 2025-26 as Ruben Amorim sees inevitable questions asked of his future as head coach.
