DEAD BEAT DESCENDANT

Last updated : 20 December 2004 By editor

From The Guardian:

'Malcolm Glazer, the American business mogul and owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is preparing a fresh assault on Manchester United having informally approached the board of the Premiership football club last week.

Representatives of Mr Glazer, who owns a 28% stake in the club, are believed to have met Manchester United's chief executive, David Gill, last week to say the American tycoon is considering submitting a fresh £800m offer. The American's camp apparently told Mr Gill any new offer would consist of more cash and less debt.

The club rejected Mr Glazer's original offer, believed to have been pitched at 300p a share, because it would have left the club heavily in debt and potentially forced the sale of the Old Trafford ground. A spokesman for Manchester United refused to comment while Mr Glazer could not be reached for comment.

But Mr Glazer's financial ability to do any deal is still unclear. He is understood to be eager to rehire US investment bank JP Morgan to put together a new bid. But the bank, which would not comment last night, is not believed to be working with him or to want to become involved again.

Last week's meeting between Mr Glazer's representatives and Mr Gill was originally called by the club to try to persuade the American businessman to support the re-election of the three ousted directors.

The departure of JP Morgan left many in the City thinking that Mr Glazer would back off until at least the new year. But just two weeks ago press reports indicated he had held talks with Deutsche Bank about organising financing for a potential bid.

After receiving a flood of abusive emails and a succession of bogus deliveries, the investment bank put out a statement saying it was not in talks with Mr Glazer. Any fresh approach from Mr Glazer is likely to provoke an angry reaction from Manchester United's fans.'