Manchester United owners the Glazer family have been talking up their involvement in the club's success following their appointment of Erik ten Hag, it has been claimed.
The Glazers put United up for sale in November, with the bidding process heating up since the turn of the year. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Thomas Ziliacus are among those to put themselves in the running, but the current owners could yet remain with a minority stake.
Ten Hag, who was appointed by the Glazers after Ralf Rangnick's interim stint in charge, has already delivered United their first trophy in six years. However, the end of the current campaign will mark a decade since the club was last crowned Premier League champion.
According to ESPN, the Glazers have privately talked up their role in the club's progress since Ten Hag was installed. While tentative talk of a title push this season was short-lived, United have already bested last-season's points tally there is every chance they end the campaign back in the top four.
The owners are said to believe the personnel are in place to challenge those ahead of them. This season's title will go to one of Manchester City and Arsenal, with the contenders due to face off at the Etihad Stadium on April 26 in a potential title decider.
Furthermore, there are reports that the Glazers have pointed out Chelsea's post-takeover struggles amid continued questions over new ownership for United. Todd Boehly replaced Roman Abramovich in west London in 2022, but the Blues sit in the bottom half of the Premier League and suffered Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage.
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Since revealing in November that they were open to investment in the club, the Glazers have received interest from a number of parties. Some have proposed takeovers, with the current owners thought to be holding out for a record sum for the sale of a sports club, while others have proposed funding models which could allow the family - or at least brothers Joel and Avram Glazer - to remain involved.
Zilliacus, one of the bidders, said he would not be taking place in a third round of bidding but insisted he remains interested. "My earlier offer still stands and I am willing to pay a premium above what I offered," the Finn told the BBC's How To Buy A Football Club podcast.
"I'm not going to be participating in a third round because I find it highly unprofessional. I see no reason whatsoever why a third round is basically starting the whole thing from scratch.
"It seems odd to me that, if there is a genuine will to sell and you have three serious bidders, why you don't sit down with the bidders, discuss and negotiate and hopefully come to a number that everyone can agree."
