Eric Cantona Tipped to Lead UAE Bid for Manchester United Takeover

Eric Cantona has been approached by a consortium of investors based in the United Arab Emirates to act as an ambassador for a potential bid to buy Manchester United. Wayne Rooney and David Beckham are also on the group’s radar for similar roles.

The consortium is still being put together as it seeks the finance to firm up their interest in buying the club before it can approach the six Glazer siblings, who collectively are ­United’s majority owners. The UAE‑based group are intent on ­having prominent former United players as ambassadors as part of this process.

Cantona, who played for United between 1992 and 1997, scoring 82 goals in 185 appearances, is ­considered one of the club’s finest ever footballers and is understood to have been approached for a ­prominent ambassadorial role.

Rooney, who played for United between 2004 and 2017 making 559 appearances, is also of interest as the club’s record ­goalscorer – with 253 – and former captain. Beckham, who joined United as a schoolboy and was a key member of Alex Ferguson’s 1999 treble-winning team, is the third distinguished former player on the consortium’s wishlist.

The Glazers served notice that part or all of the club was potentially for sale in November 2022. This attracted interest from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, a Qatari banker, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest people.

Eleven months later, Sheikh ­Jassim withdrew from the process due to the Glazers’ valuation of United being at more than £6bn. Whether Sheikh Jassim would consider reviving his interest is unclear.

In February 2024 Ratcliffe became the club’s single largest minority ­shareholder, and took control of the club’s football operations, when ­purchasing 27.7% of United. He has since increased that to 28.94%.