Manchester United owners hope prospective buyers of the club ‘overpay like Todd Boehly’ did at Chelsea - Reports

Manchester United owners are hoping that bidders for a takeover of the club overpay like American billionaire Todd Boehly did for Chelsea, according to a report by British publication i. The Glazer family has set a valuation of £6 billion for the club. However, reports suggest that the club's original valuation is around £4.5 billion.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Britain's richest man and a boyhood United fan, is expected to place a bid in the region of £4.25 billion. There is also interest from a Qatari consortium and US investors. Even the world's second-richest man Elon Musk is reportedly interested in a takeover.

Todd Boehly paid £4.25 billion to purchase Chelsea last summer. The Glazers, who took over Manchester United in 2005 for $942 million, have also put the club up for sale and Friday is a 'soft deadline' for the first bids.

However, according to sources, the Glazers would be unwise to turn down any bid north of £4 billion.

Hefty bids from Qatar are also expected. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) currently owns Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). However, QSI or Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) won't be involved in dealings for a potential takeover of Manchester United.

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Football finance expert revealed why Glazers' valuation of Manchester United is wrong

Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League

According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, the Glazers' valuation of United is wrong because the Red Devils need to renovate their stadium and training facilities. Maguire claimed (via i NEWS):

“£5bn or £6bn was never justified on any sort of valuation fundamentals, I think they were looking for a testosterone price, trying to create an auction – which is what happened with Chelsea. Todd Boehly overpaid for them and I suspect the people interested in Manchester United know that and don’t want to make the same mistake.”

Maguire further added that any bid upward of £4 billion should be accepted by the current owners.

“If I was the Glazers I would snap their hands off for £4bn, It has cost them next to nothing. If they carry on as owners there’s that awkward question of what they’re going to do with the ground because we know they won’t put in their own money. It would require taking out further significant debt on a club that already has £600m of debt – the fans will be up in arms even further.”

It will be interesting to see what lies in the future for one of the world's leading clubs.