Former Man Utd director Knighton in talks with ´three billionaires´ ahead of potential takeover bid

Former Manchester United director Michael Knighton says he is in talks with several billionaires ahead of launching a potential takeover bid at Old Trafford.

The 70-year-old revealed he has put together a consortium interested in buying the club, although he would operate in a consultancy role should a successful deal by struck.

The club’s current owners – the Glazer family – have come under increased scrutiny following the Red Devils’ poor start to the Premier League season.

Supporters have staged several protests against the Americans, who Knighton believes have turned Old Trafford from a “theatre of a dreams to a theatre of nightmares”

And the former director, who had a bid to buy the club accepted in 1989 – although it never came to fruition – explained that he has had conversation with three potential partners to put forward a deal.

“They are small-time billionaires that I have been speaking to for three to four months now,” Knighton told ITV News.

“When I was approached by some fan groups, oddly enough, saying ‘look, our club is dying on its feet, would you please do something?’

“I made a few phone calls, and I’ve been pulling this consortium together ever since.

“The point is: someone had to make a stand.”

Knighton also revealed he has approached British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who recently tried to purchase fellow Premier League side Chelsea, to buy the club.

He said: “If we can smoke the great Sir Jim out to buy Manchester United, my consortium will be punching the air because we’ve achieved what we want to do.

“We will make the bid with our own consortium but, I’ll tell you this, we do not have the resources available to do everything that is needed.”