Sky Sports presenter Kaveh Solhekol has revealed that American hedge fund Elliott Management has submitted a bid for a minority stake in Manchester United.
What's the latest on Manchester United's takeover?
The Glazers had set a deadline for bids to be submitted as multiple parties race to complete a takeover of the club, and a number of offers have come in.
The frontrunners appear to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, with both wanting to complete a full takeover – but a minority bid has now been revealed.
Elliott Management previously held stakes in AC Milan and seemingly want to return to top-level football.
Speaking on Sky Sports News on Thursday, Solhekol revealed the details of this bid for a minority stake in the club.
He said (via Football Daily): "The US hedge fund Elliott Management have made a bid to buy a minority stake in Manchester United.
"We always knew that they were interested in Manchester United. They are one of the three parties who've confirmed in public that they are in the process, but all along, they have not been in this process to buy Manchester United.
"They've always said, 'look, we're interested in a minority stake, and we're also interested in providing financing to other parties'. So to the other bidders, they have offered to basically lend the money to finance their bids.
"And also, it's important to the Glazer family as well. They are saying to the Glazers, 'look, if you need to raise money to redevelop Old Trafford, we are willing to lend you that money'. But the development today [Thursday] is that they have made a bid themselves to buy a minority stake, but their proposal to offer financing to other parties – that is still on the table as well."
Would Man United fans welcome a minority investor?
Given the heavy fan opposition to the Glazers' ownership of the club for years, it seems highly unlikely that United fans would welcome a minority investor alongside their current owners.
Elliott Management did have a positive impact at AC Milan, helping clear the club's debt as well as ending their 11-year title drought, with smart appointments and signings helping the Rossoneri win the Scudetto in 2021.
If they were to join another bidder and potentially aim for joint ownership, United fans may be more receptive to them. The main objective for the supporters is seemingly to remove the Glazers from the club, and a minority investor alongside the current owners may hinder this.