Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has urged the Glazer family to sell the club immediately, delivering a passionate critique of their ownership. Neville said the American owners should move on as custodians at Old Trafford after what he described as '14 years of failure'.
Pressure Mounts on Ownership and Football Structure
ESPN reported this week that a decision may be made to sell United when the new stadium is complete or if Manchester City are expelled from the Premier League. The report also noted that the Glazers have grown frustrated by Ineos' decision-making on and off the pitch.
Pressure is mounting on the owners and the footballing structure at United as manager Michael Carrick faces scrutiny. The 45-year-old looked set to be dismissed following United's 3-0 defeat at home to Bournemouth, but he will remain in the dugout for Saturday's trip to face Chelsea, despite speculation surrounding Eddie Howe and Julian Nagelsmann as potential successors.
Neville's Call to Sell
Speaking on The Overlap, Neville said: "The Glazers have to sell. They have to sell now. The time has come."
He added: "They've subcontracted the football department out to Ineos. Ineos are trying to run the football department and have had three years of struggling and failing and now it looks like they're struggling again."
Neville also criticised the Glazers' absence from Old Trafford, saying: "The Glazer family are over there in America, in Tampa, where they're very popular and go to every game apparently, I hear. They've hardly been to Old Trafford in 20-odd years."
He continued: "They have to sell now, enough is enough. The club is in debt, you've not spent a penny on the stadium, you're trying to borrow £2bn for a stadium that you don't know how you're going to borrow. There's basically failure of 13 or 14 years in the football side. You've subbed it out to somebody else which is just ridiculous and not taken responsibility."
Financial and Structural Concerns
In February, financial figures confirmed the club's debt is close to reaching £1.3 billion. Last month, the club posted record revenues of £677.6 million, a 1.7 percent rise, but posted losses of £43 million.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces pressure after taking a minority shareholding of the 20-time Premier League champions. Meanwhile, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox have come under fire after leading the United footballing department but failing to cement a legacy at the club.
The ESPN report claimed the Glazers have been frustrated by the direction of the club ever since minority control was handed over to Ratcliffe and his Ineos team.
