After his mixed success taking ownership of social media site Twitter, Elon Mus’s ventures could now be stretching to football as the Billionaire is reportedly considering entering the race for control of Manchester United ahead of Friday’s bid deadline
The club, who were put up for sale by the Glazers in November, have reportedly been priced at around £5bn, double the amount that Chelsea sold for in May, and there are thought to be no shortage of suitors despite the prohibitive and extortionate price tag.
According to reports, ‘candidates in America, the Middle East and even Asia have privately expressed formal interest’, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly made his interest clear, but ‘US bidders – including some of those who inquired about Chelsea – and a mystery Arabic investment group are seen as leading the running’ to take the club off the hands of the Glazers.
Now, however, there could be fresh interest as the Daily Mail report that Musk is ‘believed to be monitoring the situation closely, and wondering if there is an opportunity at Old Trafford that he should not miss’.
Musk has previously joked about buying the club, writing on Twitter back in August that Manchester United are his favourite side, before clarifying back then that ‘I am not buying any sports teams’.
Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U. They were my fav team as a kid.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 17, 2022
However, that was before his boyhood club were available, and he could be set to join a lengthening line of suitors.
A deal is expected to be closed with a buyer by April.