Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus has reportedly submitted a bid for Manchester United which, in contrast to rival bidders Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, focuses on fan ownership. In a recent statement, Zilliacus also fired a thinly-veiled dig at the Qatari proposal by referencing clubs as the ‘personal playground of sheikhs and oligarchs’.
Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe had been the main candidates to acquire United from the Glazers, who are supposedly open to potential sale options. The deadline for a second bid was originally set for Wednesday, although both parties have been granted an extension.
A new bidder has come to the table this week in Zilliacus. The 59-year-old’s net worth is unknown, but he has amassed a personal fortune through novaM Group and is preparing to submit a bid through an investment firm controlled by his own holding company.
His proposal differs from those already made public as it focuses heavily on fans, who will be allowed an equal say via an app, which may appeal to United supporters after years of protesting against the Glazers.
“Any sport club ultimately should belong to its fans,” read the statement. “The current development, where billionaire sheiks and oligarchs take over clubs and control them as their personal playgrounds is not a healthy trend.
“The current market value of the club is just under 3.9 billion USD. That means that if every one of the fans of the club would join in buying the club, the total sum per fan would amount to less than 6 dollars. My bid is built on equality with the fans.
“My group will finance half of the sum needed to take over the club, and will ask the fans, through a new company that is being set up for this specific purpose, to participate for the other half. If every fan joins it means less than 3 dollars per fan.
“Each fan who joins will have access to an app which the fan, from anywhere in the world, can use to participate and cast their vote when deciding on footballing matters relating to the club. No decisions will be taken that are not supported by a majority of the fan base.”
The potential sale of United is being handled by Raine Group, who are seeking out an investor to meet the Glazers’ reported £6billion asking price. Reports indicate that Sheikh Jassim will not be held to ransom by United’s current owners and is determined not to pay over the odds.
A Qatari delegation recently visited Old Trafford and held talks that went on for 10 hours, while a delegation from Ratcliffe’s petrochemical giants, INEOS, also visited the club’s various facilities with fans broadly left in the dark on the Glazers’ true intentions.
Aside from the front-running duo and Zilliacus, there are believed to be several other financing proposals under consideration by the Red Devils.