Connect with us

Published

on

Manchester United’s American owners have confirmed they could sell the club as they explore “strategic alternatives” to boost its sporting and commercial success.

It comes after Sky’s City editor Mark Kleinman exclusively revealed the Glazer family were preparing to announce the news and were already being advised by bankers.

Fans of Manchester United have long campaigned against the club’s American owners, who they accuse of a lack of investment and saddling the club with too much debt.

After 17 years in charge, they said on Tuesday that the prospect of selling was now on the table.

A statement said the board of directors was “commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club” which will include “new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions”.

It said stadium and infrastructure redevelopment and expansion of the club’s global commercial activities will all be looked at.

Avram Glazer (L) and Joel Glazer
Image:
Avram Glazer (L) and Joel Glazer said the review would serve the best interests of fans and shareholders

Manchester United have struggled to get anywhere near the golden era of Sir Alex Ferguson since he stepped down as manager in 2013.

The club’s facilities, current manager Erik ten Hag and the attitude of the Glazer family were also criticised by Cristiano Ronaldo in a recent interview with Piers Morgan.

“The Glazers, they don’t care about the club. I mean, professional sport, as you know, Manchester is a marketing club,” said the player.

The fallout led to the Portuguese star and Manchester United announcing on Tuesday that he was immediately leaving the club by mutual consent.

Another former United star, Gary Neville, has previously called the Glazers “scavengers” who “need booting out of this football club and booting out of this country”.

He made the comments after the club was among those looking to form a breakaway European Super League – an idea lambasted by most of the footballing world.

Read more:
How ‘scavenger’ Glazers left Old Trafford ‘rusting’ and in a ‘mess’

Manchester United supporters at Old Trafford hold up a banner that read 'Glazers Out' on the stands in April. Pic: AP
Image:
Protests against the owners have been going on for years. Pic: AP

Could Manchester-born billionaire make a bid?

Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer, executive co-chairmen and directors, said their review would be “fully focused on serving the best interests of our fans, shareholders, and various stakeholders”.

However, the statement cautioned that a sale – or any other deal – is not guaranteed.

A partial sale to new investors, with money being raised to redevelopment Old Trafford, is one potential outcome, says Sky’s Mark Kleinman.

HUNT FOR NEW OWNERS MAY PUT FANS IN MORAL BIND


Rob Harris

Rob Harris

Sports correspondent

@RobHarris

The focus on Qatar for the World Cup underscores football’s transformed financial landscape in the 17 years of the Glazer family’s ownership of Manchester United.

It’s been a period of decline at Old Trafford, while state-owned clubs have been on the ascendancy – with owners with the financial firepower to splurge cash to sign the superstars and amass silverware.

They have exposed a business model at Old Trafford that sees the growth in commercial revenue necessary to service a debt that didn’t exist until the Glazers’ leveraged takeover and still stands at over £500m.

It has taken more than £1bn to service that debt since 2005. Even though as much has still been spent on net transfers at the same time, the need for investment across the club’s infrastructure was exposed by Cristiano Ronaldo before his abrupt departure.

Protests against the Glazers faded mostly after 2005 while Sir Alex Ferguson delivered title after title, but the Premier League hasn’t been won since his retirement in 2013.

And United are without any trophy since 2017 – a drought that has reignited dissent against the American owners.

Meanwhile, the clubs with sovereign wealth cash to speed freely – within football financial regulations – are proving hard to keep up with.

Manchester City – in United’s shadow until being bought by Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour in 2008 – have won the league in six of the last 12 seasons.

Newcastle are already resurgent and challenging for Champions League qualification – sitting two spots above United in third place in the league – after a year under Saudi ownership.

And Paris Saint-Germain – owned by Qatar since 2011 – have won the French title eight times since then.

Catching them on the pitch would require a new owner with the investment to not only upgrade the squad, but also the stadium and training facilities.

Finding state ownership is not simple. Especially investors not linked to those already running a club due to football regulations.

And fans could be placed in a moral bind – if it means swapping the aggressively capitalist model of the Glazers for owners backed by a country with a questionable human rights record.

Potential buyers could include Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire and a long-time fan, having grown up in Manchester.

He said in the summer he would be interested if the club was up for sale, but in October revealed he’d met the Glazers and they “don’t want to sell”.

Billionaires from around the world would also likely be linked to bids, as would sovereign investors hoping to emulate the takeover at Newcastle United – now owned by Saudi state-backed investors.

There will also be speculation that the Red Knights, a consortium led by former United director and leading economist Lord O’Neill, could revive their interest from 2010.

Manchester United’s review comes a few weeks after Liverpool’s US owners said they were also open to offers and already had interest from groups looking to buy shares.

Continue Reading

UK

Woman who died after she was attacked by a dog in Bristol named as Morgan Dorsett

Published

on

By

Woman who died after she was attacked by a dog in Bristol named as Morgan Dorsett

The 19-year-old woman who died after she was attacked by a dog at a flat in Bristol on Wednesday has been named as Morgan Dorsett from Shropshire.

Two people – a man and a woman both aged in their 20s – have been arrested over the attack and have been released on conditional bail.

Initial reports suggested the dog may be an XL bully, but confirming the breed will form part of the police assessment process, according to Avon and Somerset Police.

It was sedated and seized by officers.

Pic: PA
Image:
An XL bully. File pic: PA

Ms Dorsett’s family thanked the public for their support and those who have left flowers near the scene.

Officers were called to an incident in the Hartcliffe area of Bristol at 7.19pm on Wednesday.

Paramedics and police officers attended but Ms Dorsett died at the scene.

Morgan Dorsett, 19. Pic: Avon and Somerset Police
Image:
Ms Dorsett. Pic: Avon and Somerset Police

On Thursday, Inspector Terry Murphy said: “Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the family of the young woman who’s tragically died as a result of yesterday evening’s incident. They have been updated and will be supported by a family liaison officer.

“I’d also like to thank the officers and paramedics who attended yesterday evening and tried to save her life. Support is in place for them.

“A full investigation is now well under way to establish the full circumstances of the events that led to her death.”

Read more from Sky News:
Baltic states ‘very unhappy’ after UK fails to invite leaders to Ukraine summit
Bargain Hunt auctioneer cleared of coercive control and assault allegations
Minister resigns over cut to international aid budget

A general view of floral tributes left near the scene on Cobhorn Drive, Hartcliffe, Bristol, where a 19-year-old woman died after she was attacked by a dog on Wednesday night. A man and a woman, both aged in their 20s, have been arrested on suspicion of being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury resulting in death and possession of a prohibited breed of dog, as the dog responsible for the attack is believed to have been an XL bully. Picture date: Thursday February 27, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story POLICE Dog. Photo credit should read: Rod Minchin/PA Wire
Image:
Flowers left near the scene. Pic: PA

A neighbour also paid tribute to Ms Dorsett, saying she “seemed a lovely girl” and had only lived in the property for a few weeks.

“I was up all night awake trying to process this,” the neighbour, who did not want to be named, said.

“I am shocked. I just can’t believe it’s happened and she hasn’t been there that long.”

The neighbour said she had seen the dog on a lead with its owner and was certain it was an XL bully.

“I do feel so sad for the dog owner,” she said.

“She did mention the dog wasn’t great with men, fine with women and children.

“I feel for her so, so much. It wasn’t her fault.”

She added: “I genuinely feel that this was one of those freak accidents and wasn’t her fault – that’s how I feel.”

In February 2024 it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone owning one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, microchipped, and kept muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

The government move to ban the breed followed a series of attacks on people and other dogs.

Continue Reading

UK

Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson cleared of coercive control and assault allegations related to his wife

Published

on

By

Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson cleared of coercive control and assault allegations related to his wife

Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson has been cleared of coercive control and assault allegations relating to his wife.

The 46-year-old was accused of being violent towards Rebecca Hanson over an eight-year period.

The charges were brought after he was arrested in June 2023.

The TV auctioneer, from Mackworth, Derby, denied controlling or coercive behaviour spanning from 2015 to 2023, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating. The two assault charges related to incidents in 2015 and 2023.

During the trial, Hanson claimed his wife had controlled him. He told the court he was “almost a slave” to her, saying she left him “a beaten and broken man” by controlling him and making him subservient towards her.

She had claimed her husband was violent towards her and put her in a headlock in 2012, while she pregnant with a baby she later lost.

Mrs Hanson also alleged her husband repeatedly “grabbed” her, scratched her as she tried to snatch a mobile phone and pushed her twice during a row.

More from UK

Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson outside Derby Crown Court, Picture date: Friday February 28, 2025. Pic: PA
Image:
Hanson outside the court with his parents today. Pic: PA

The auctioneer told the court his wife was allowed “to do what she wanted” but had experienced “moments and episodes” including one which saw her claim his legs being crossed amounted to abuse.

Jurors deliberated for around four and a half hours before delivering not guilty verdicts on all charges.

As the verdicts were returned, Hanson smiled at his parents, who were sat in the front row of the public gallery at Derby Crown Court, and gave them a thumbs-up.

After thanking the jurors for their care in considering the case, Judge Martin Hurst told Hanson: “You have been found not guilty. That is the end of the case. You will hear no more about it and you are free to go.”

The TV star’s parents wept and hugged their son after he was discharged from the dock.

Hanson ‘relieved this is all over’

Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson speaks to media outside Derby Crown Court, Picture date: Friday February 28, 2025. Jacob King/PA Wire
Image:
Hanson speaks to media after the verdict. Pic: PA

Speaking to reporters outside the court, Hanson said: “I’m delighted that after a year and a half the truth has finally come out.

“I can finally live my life again. I feel this burden has finally been lifted.”

Read more from Sky News:
Woman who died after dog attack named

Arrests over AI-generated child abuse images

“It has been a tormentuous time and all I want now is to readjust to what has been such an ordeal,” he continued. “I am so relieved that this is all over.”

As well as regularly featuring on Bargain Hunt, Hanson has appeared on Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip.

Continue Reading

UK

‘Monster’ who fatally beat chef near Notting Hill Carnival jailed for life

Published

on

By

'Monster' who fatally beat chef near Notting Hill Carnival jailed for life

A self-described “monster” who beat a top chef to death near Notting Hill Carnival has been jailed for life.

Omar Wilson repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu during an altercation outside a restaurant in Queensway, west London, on 26 August last year.

Wilson, 31, then left the scene to go clubbing.

Mr Imnetu, 41, who worked under star chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, died in hospital four days later, without regaining consciousness.

Mussie Imnetu. Pic: Metropolitan Police
Image:
Mussie Imnetu. Pic: Metropolitan Police

Sentencing Wilson to a minimum 18 years, Judge Philip Katz said Mr Imnetu’s “brutal” killing was “abhorrent”.

“Mussie and those who loved him are the victims in this case and the impact on them of his murder has been severe,” he said.

“Mussie was defenceless on the ground when you punched and kicked him to death.”

He continued: “You could not control your temper. Only a few seconds after punches were aimed by both of you you tripped Mussie and he fell to the ground and you could have walked away.

“As he knelt you rained further punches down on his head. You could have walked away.

“However, you stood up, raised your leg and kicked him hard to the head. Kicking someone to the head when they are defenceless on the ground is abhorrent.”

CCTV footage of Omar Wilson at a security point after the assault. Pic: Metropolitan Police
Image:
CCTV footage of Omar Wilson at a security point after the assault. Pic: Metropolitan Police

Mr Imnetu’s wife, Linda, described her husband as “respected, admired and loved” in a pre-recorded victim impact statement played in court.

“Mussie didn’t just leave behind a legacy for his family, he left an indelible mark on his workplace and community,” she said.

“Nothing can undo what has been taken from us. I ask the court to remember the man Mussie was: his character, his integrity and the life he built; not just the circumstances of his passing.”

An audio recording of Mr Imnetu’s six-year-old son wishing his “daddy” goodbye was also played in court, which the judge called “heart-rending”.

Follow Sky News on WhatsApp
Follow Sky News on WhatsApp

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Tap here

CCTV footage was played in court during the trial showing Wilson approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him.

Around a minute later, Wilson punched Mr Imnetu five times in the head, continued to repeatedly punch him while he was on his hands and knees, and then kicked him in the head.

Read more from Sky News:
Labour minister resigns over decision to cut foreign aid
Volcano owners’ conviction over deadly eruption overturned

Wilson of Napier Road, east London, told the Old Bailey he was acting in self defence, telling jurors: “I just regret that somebody’s life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.”

He claimed Mr Imnetu had a broken bottle – something Judge Katz described as “a deliberate lie”.

The court heard after the attack that Wilson had told an associate he “crossed the line”.

In a message, he said: “There’s a monster in me, man, and it’s just like sometimes it comes out.

“And I think I’ve messed up now, I’ve messed up, everything’s finished.”

Continue Reading

Trending