Manchester United hero Gary Neville has aimed a dig at Sir Jim Ratcliffe by saying he ‘doesn’t like the idea’ of the 70-year-old letting the Glazers stay at the club. The Americans confirmed back in November they were open to potentially selling up. However, seven months on, it’s still unclear what they’ll ultimately decide to do with their asset.
Neville was asked by the Manchester Evening News for his preference between Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim.
And while the Red Devils icon insists he doesn’t have a preferred candidate, he did admit he wouldn’t be happy with the Glazers staying on in any capacity.
Ratcliffe is willing to let brothers Joel and Avram stay on board in reduced roles before selling their existing shares further down the line.
Neville told the Manchester Evening News: “I don’t mind, I genuinely don’t.
“I’d like the Glazers to leave in full, even now with how they’re dealing with the sale process, which means it’s ultimately dragged out.
“They can’t make a decision and there are other examples of that. They can’t deal with things that are difficult.
“Hopefully we can have a full exit, but with the Ratcliffe bid, it looks like a part exit with two of them staying [Joel and Avram]. I don’t like the idea of that.
“If that bid comes forward and is successful, which is the talk, I’d like to think there’s a fixed exit for the Glazer brothers organised in let’s say, two years, so we know they’re leaving.
“Ratcliffe comes in and brings in another investor to take them out.”
Neville was at United when the Glazers purchased the club in 2005.
However, he didn’t criticise the family while he was strutting his stuff at Old Trafford.
Neville has defended himself, however, insisting he was merely focused on playing football instead of matters behind the scenes.
“When the Glazers came into the club, Manchester United had the best team, the best stadium and the best training ground,” he said.
“We’re now second-rate in all of those categories and we’re nowhere near it.
“People used to say I took their money – I never took a penny from them. I played for United from 1986 as a kid joining the academy.
“They came in 2004 and they never put money into the club.
“I was focused on playing football and Sir Alex Ferguson, to be fair, would have probably got rid of any footballer if they started talking about the owners.
“We didn’t do that, we were employees and we got on with it.”
Neville was also quizzed on United’s interest in Harry Kane and Mason Mount.
And he insists that while Kane would be a great arrival, he’s unsure about his old side’s determination to acquire Mount.
“If new owners get in and they get Kane and another few quality signings, they could push up,” he added.
“But at the moment, they’re scrambling with Chelsea for Mount. I think he’s a fine player, although that’s not really a compliment.
“He’s just a ‘good’ player. If I’m looking at getting to the next level, we’ve been here before with Mourinho, Solskjaer, with Van Gaal, they’ve all been up to levels that are high, but they’ve never been able to jump to that next step.
“Paying £55million for Mount when Jude Bellingham is going to Madrid, someone is signing Declan Rice, I just feel we’re going to be scrambling around again to get top four, which is my fear. We need another three top players.”
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