Manchester United chief executive officer Richard Arnold has confirmed that a strategic review regarding the future of the club is being conducted, The Athletic reports.
The 52-year-old CEO reportedly made the assertion in an all-staff meeting on Monday, where he urged the club’s employees to ‘hang tight and be resilient’.
The staff meeting was reportedly convened in the aftermath of major in-house discontent over the club’s initial plan to reintegrate Mason Greenwood into the first team.
That arrangement was met with backlash from politicians, charities and supporters, eventually forcing the club to exile Greenwood, who has since joined Spanish club Getafe on a season-long loan.
During the meeting, Arnold also faced questions regarding Man United’s handling of the Greenwood situation and the ongoing legal case involving Antony, who is on leave until further notice amid assault allegations.
The ‘strategic review’ also encompasses the club’s long-discussed sale, which has lingered for nearly a year without a resolution on the horizon.
The club’s owners, the Glazer family, announced last November that they were ‘commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives for the club’.
They even went as far as hiring Raine Group, the same company that handled Chelsea’s sale, as Man United’s financial advisor to market the club to potential investors.
Man United have since received multi-billion pound bids from the Qatari Sheikh Jassim’s Nine Two Foundation, as well as the British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company INEOS.
The pair have been considered front-runners in the race to take over from the Glazers, who have faced widespread protests and criticism from disgruntled Man United fans fed up with their ownership.
However, almost a year later, supporters have not received any information from the club about the progress made during discussions or whether Man United intends to proceed with a sale.
Arnold’s decision to hold the meeting and address challenging questions reflects his willingness to engage with staff, but the impact of these discussions on the club’s future remains to be seen.
