Manchester United ownership, management and recruitment, Digi Mart USA News: Sky Sports chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol has answered reader questions on Manchester United, where Michael Carrick’s future is uncertain, the club sits in the Premier League relegation zone, and several issues remain behind the scenes at Old Trafford.
Asked whether the board would sell the club, Solhekol said he did not believe it was up to the board. The Glazer family could decide to sell their stake, but a buyer would need to offer billions of pounds or dollars.
He said there had been no indication that anyone had been instructed to sell the Glazers’ shareholding, and no official word that the club was for sale.
Solhekol noted that any purchase of the Glazers’ shares could trigger drag-along rights, which could require Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS to sell their shares too. He also said Ratcliffe holds a 30 per cent stake, and that someone could approach him directly to make an offer.
On a possible Middle Eastern takeover, Solhekol recalled that a Qatari bid led by Sheikh Jassim had stalled because the Qataris were unwilling to pay what the Glazers were asking, reportedly around five or six billion pounds. He said the regional conflict and resulting financial instability made a fresh bid from that region unlikely at present.
Asked whether Manchester United remain a major commercial draw, Solhekol agreed they no longer hold their former status. He said the club was once the richest in the world but is now around the eighth or ninth richest, overtaken by Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and in England by Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
He added that the media still gives the club considerable attention.
On Michael Carrick, Solhekol said he was kept on because he had guided the team into the Champions League with a third-place finish and was the least risky option, though he acknowledged that other managers had been available. He said he would like to see Carrick keep his job, citing his 11 major trophies, including five league titles, with the club.
On Mauricio Pochettino, Solhekol said he did not see him as a long-term solution, noting this would be his sixth club in 12 years. He said Pochettino has a close connection to Manchester United and respect for Alex Ferguson, but he questioned whether the job was the right one for him in present circumstances.
Solhekol said he did not expect Carlo Ancelotti to take the role while managing Brazil.
Solhekol said the chief executive and director of football were expected to present a review to Ratcliffe, likely recommending Carrick’s replacement. He said Ratcliffe would probably ask pointed questions about the performance of those two executives, and that the meeting would not be simple.
On recruitment, Solhekol said the club’s approach had been problematic, with spending focused on forwards one summer, midfielders the next and defenders after that, rather than building a strong core. He said INEOS had reviewed player contracts and wages and now expected more careful spending.
