European Leagues

Manchester United Takeover: Glazers under intense pressure to sell

The Theatre of Dreams finds itself amidst whispers of a takeover, tangled in a web of high financial stakes and passionate football dreams. As reported by Daily Mail, the plot thickens for the English giant.

Manchester United’s stock took a staggering 21% dip on the New York Stock Exchange, following revelations that the Glazers might abandon their plans to sell. Despite the turbulence, insiders have suggested that the essence of the deal remains unaltered.

The Glazers, who assumed control in 2005, had previously hinted at potential investment ventures, even considering relinquishing full ownership of the club. Yet, almost a year later, the American family remains at the helm, much to the chagrin of a vocal fraction of the Red Devils’ faithful.

Two prominent figures emerge in this narrative – Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim and British tycoon Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Representatives from both camps have dispelled rumours of the sale’s cancellation, affirming that they’ve received no official word on such a decision.

Indeed, the discussions persist. The two offers, both hovering around the £5bn mark, unfortunately fall short of the Glazers’ valuation. The ongoing dialogue now seeks to bridge this considerable fiscal chasm.

Gary Neville, a name synonymous with Manchester United, hasn’t minced words in his critique of the club’s ownership. Following a 3-1 defeat against Arsenal, Neville lambasted the Glazers, comparing their handling of the prestigious club to mere child’s play.

“It’s just a game for them, they think it’s a toy!,” Neville asserted on his Sky podcast. He also expressed his certainty regarding the Glazers’ eventual sale due to financial pressures.

Pointing out the club’s struggles in the transfer market, despite its vast revenues, Neville contrasts United’s position with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal. The root, he suggests, might be the club’s financial constraints, exacerbated perhaps by the recent pandemic. Regardless, for Neville and countless supporters, the overarching issue remains – the custodianship of one of the world’s foremost footballing institutions.

The last decade has been tumultuous for the Red Devils. Once the pinnacle of English football, recent years have seen a dip in their fortunes. Many fans attribute this decline to the Glazers, condemning their perceived lack of investment, both in playing personnel and critical infrastructure. Such sentiments have manifested in palpable frustrations, with Old Trafford, a symbol of the club’s illustrious history, crying out for modernisation.

Interestingly, Mail Sport highlighted a crucial moment when Sheikh Jassim’s team sidestepped US bankers, Raine, entrusted with the sale last year. They chose to approach the Glazers directly, though to no avail.

Speculation suggests that the Glazers’ current hesitation might be strategic. By potentially pulling United off the market now, they might be playing the long game, hoping for a more favourable climate and a broader pool of bidders come 2025.

In the end, amidst the whirlwind of financial negotiations, bids, and speculations, one thing remains certain – the undying passion of Manchester United’s supporters, yearning for a future that mirrors the club’s decorated past.

European Leagues

Don’t Buy Unofficial Final Tickets, UEFA Warns

UEFA has issued a warning to fans ahead of the club competition finals not to buy tickets on the secondary market, from unauthorised third parties, websites, agencies or from touts.

“Tickets issued for the UEFA club competition finals are 100% digital and made available exclusively through the official UEFA Mobile Tickets App, which includes several security features that aim to combat unauthorised ticket sales,” said UEFA.

UEFA said that any tickets bought outside the platform are liable to be cancelled at any time and fans are likely to be refused entry or be ejected from the stadium.

Ticket sales to the general public and fans of the teams in the finals can only be bought via UEFA.com.

UEFA highlighted the precautions against non-official ticket sales, saying:

Ticket transferability rules and restrictions have been implemented for the General Public and each finalist club.
Sharing of accounts is not permitted in the UEFA Mobile Tickets App. Only the phone used to download the mobile tickets will be able to access the stadium.
Screenshots of mobile tickets are not valid tickets. Anyone attempting to enter the stadium with such screenshots will be refused entry.
Paper tickets and print-at-home tickets are not valid tickets.

Enforcement of the rules will include monitoring of the internet, and action (including cancelling tickets) where breaches of its terms and conditions are identified, said UEFA. Some tickets for the finals have already been cancelled in this respect and further cancellations are likely to follow.

UEFA also warned fans against travel to the stadiums without tickets as they will not gain admittance.

Insideworldfootball.com

LaLiga

Yamal To Inherit Messi’s No. 10 At Barca

Lamine Yamal will reportedly inherit Lionel Messi’s iconic No 10 shirt at Barcelona after signing a new contract with the club this summer.

Despite only being 17, Yamal has emerged as a Ballon d’Or contender this season after winning the Euros with Spain last year, and is widely viewed as the game’s biggest talent since Messi burst onto the scene almost 20 years ago.

Similarities have been drawn between the pair, and Yamal now looks set to follow in Messi’s footsteps once again.

According to Memorabilia1899.co, Yamal will celebrate his 18th birthday in July by signing a new long-term contract with Barcelona that will contain a €1bn (£841m) release clause.

The deal will also see Yamal handed the No 10 shirt which is currently occupied by Ansu Fati.

Fati is facing an uncertain future at Barcelona, and will have the famous jersey taken off him by Yamal, who has been donning the No 19 shirt this season.

Lamine Yamal will reportedly take the No 10 shirt when he signs a new Barcelona deal

This will signify another historic moment in Yamal’s fledgling career, after he made his Barcelona debut two years ago when he was only 15.

Since then, he has won LaLiga twice, and starred in Barcelona’s run to the Champions League semi-finals this season before they were knocked out by Inter Milan in a thrilling tie.

Yamal looks primed to dazzle in the No 10 shirt for years to come, just like Messi did after he took the jersey in 2008.

Messi made the shirt his own for 13 years, winning the Ballon d’Or on seven occasions during this period, before adding another to his collection in 2023 after winning the World Cup the previous year with Argentina.

The Argentine icon finished his Barcelona career in 2021 with a staggering 672 goals in 778 appearances, plus 10 LaLiga titles and four Champions League triumphs to his name.

Yamal has big boots to fill, but has already shown that he can light up the biggest stages.

The winger had pundits purring over his ability earlier this month after Barcelona’s 3-3 draw with Inter, as Rio Ferdinand hailed him as the best player in the world, while Jamie Carragher compared him to a prime Messi.

Ferdinand wrote on X: ‘As a pure football talent I’m going as far as to say I think Lamine Yamal is on another level to any player playing the game in the top 5 leagues in world football.

Yamal claimed his second LaLiga title last week, and lifted the trophy over the weekend

Meanwhile, Carragher said on CBS Sports: ‘That (performance) was Messi-esque. That was like watching Messi in his heyday.

‘The whole game almost stopping to just see what he was going to do. It was just brilliant.’

Dailymail.co.uk

Serie A

Klopp ‘Agrees’ To Take Over Roma – Report

Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp agreed to become AS Roma’s new coach on Sunday shortly after their 3-1 home win over AC Milan, La Stampa has reported in its online edition.

The arrival of the charismatic German coach would lead to “electric” dealings on the summer transfer market, with the acquisition of six new players, according to the report.

Ansa.it