Manchester United Sale Price Could Hit $5.3 Billion

Manchester United, an English Premier League soccer club, announced Tuesday that its board has started a process to explore strategic alternatives, including a new investment or a potential sale.

In a statement, the club's owners said the process aims to enhance Manchester United's future growth, "with the ultimate goal of positioning the club to capitalize on opportunities both on the pitch and commercially."

The club owners vowed to evaluate all options in order to maximize significant growth opportunities available to the club.

A partial sale of the club or investments, including stadium and infrastructure redevelopment and expansion of the team's commercial operations on a global scale, are among the options on the table, Axios reported.

The Glazer family, who has owned Manchester United since 2005, has instructed financial adviser Raine Group and legal adviser Latham & Watkins to proceed with the process of exploring new options.

The price tag of Manchester United could be somewhere between $2.45 billion and $5.3 billion, if not more, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Manchester United made the announcement on the same day it confirmed striker Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the team.

In his interview with Piers Morgan for TalkTV, Ronaldo said that he felt betrayed by the club and alleged that he was being forced out since last year.

Ronaldo also criticized club manager Erik ten Hag and accused the coach of disrespecting him.

The club is considering legal action against Ronaldo following his controversial interview, The Guardian reported.

United, in a statement, said it was standing by ten Hag.

"Everyone at United remains focused on continuing the team's progress under ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch," the club said.

The management of Manchester United has been the subject of intense criticism among fans as the club has failed to win a trophy since 2017.

United joins the growing list of English clubs to go on sale.

On Monday, Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said the club owner Fenway Sports Group was exploring a possible sale, Reuters reported.

Werner said there is no timetable for the sale, adding that "it's business as usual."

In May, the Chelsea soccer club was sold to a group led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for $3.2 billion.