The potential sale of Manchester United is "moving forward", according to former club director Michael Knighton.
There has long been a clamour for the Glazers to sell up amid growing fan hostility, which has been underlined by recent protests. Failings on the field and mismanagement off it has seen the club's Americans owners face huge pressure to go, although they have stood firm so far.
United's profile and stature means few can afford the Premier League outfit, but a handful of buyers will be interested. Knighton himself made a play to buy the Red Devils back in the 1980s, ultimately failing, but was handed a seat on the board of directors instead.
Knighton is, once again, a figure in a potential sale of the Manchester club, after making his interest clear last month, and he has now claimed progress is being made behind the scenes in a message to fans on social media.
He wrote: “Thank you ALL for the wonderful messages of support. There is much going on behind the scenes. Things are moving forward as planned. I apologise I can't be on this platform more, just bogged down in meetings. God bless & every good wish to all of you. Your support is greatly appreciated.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain's richest man, is among those linked with buying the club. His company, Ineos, are major partners in sport and Ratcliffe himself made a late bid to buy Chelsea earlier this year. He has made his interest in buying United known.
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Knighton has declared the Glazers "useless" owners with the American family presiding over a decade without Premier League success and five years without a trophy. The current hurdle though is that United are not up for sale, which makes any change in ownership difficult.
Knighton previously told Man Utd The Religion of attempts to force the issue: “We are a club in crisis and we all know the reason why. We have an inept and frankly useless ownership who know little about this game of football. Everyone knows that we need new ownership of this football club and that is my aim and those are my objectives.
"I am making good progress, continuing to talk to the people, I have got some good pledges and good finance. We are now working on the offer document. Remember, it is a hostile bid - that simply means that the club isn't officially for sale. But my intention is to present these owners with a legitimate, potent and commercial offer to say: 'You have run out of road, it's time (to) go, because your time is up’.”
