Football

Man Utd hero Gary Neville raises issue about Glazers selling up in Saudi Arabia takeover


Manchester United legend Gary Neville believes problems would still arise if a Saudi Arabian consortium bought the club from the Glazer family.

Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman has been linked with a potential £3.8billion takeover of the 20-time English champions this year.

The prospect has been welcomed by some United fans who have grown frustrated by the Glazer regime, which has been operating since 2005, due to a perceived lack of investment in the club.

A change of ownership to high-flyers from the Middle East country brings with it a series of ethical issues, however, with the nation accused of sportswashing its questionable human rights records.

And Neville, who has forayed into the business world after retirement, has reservations about such a changing of the front-office guard.

“What is the alternative [to the Glazers]?” he asked in an interview with The Times.

“It [the club] is either going to go to a Russian family, Chinese family, Asian family, a Saudi Arabian family.

“If it gets sold for £3 billion, it is going to be basically people who have £15-20 billion.

“What are they going to be like? Human rights issues of countries I’ve just mentioned. There is no ideal here.”

Neville went on to suggest, however, that people do not have an issue with how the Abu Dhabi United Group have revolutionised Manchester City since their purchase in 2008.

“Some people don’t believe [City owner] Sheikh Mansour is a good owner of a football club because of the human rights issues in Abu Dhabi, others would say they have been the most incredible owners,” Neville said.

“They have invested into Manchester, into the stadium, into the team.

“I can see both sides of the story, but what I can see the amazing impact they have made over that side of the city.”



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