CORNERFLICK
Paul Scholes has backed David Beckham leading a consortium to buy Manchester United and end the Glazers' ownership, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe also under fire from unhappy fans.
Scholes welcomes a Beckham-led bid
Speaking on the Good, Bad & Football podcast, Scholes said there would be no problem with Beckham fronting a takeover group if the money was there and if Beckham genuinely wanted to do it.
He also suggested Beckham might prefer a role behind the scenes rather than being around the stadium all the time, unlike his work at Inter Miami.
Scholes added that the current owners have not delivered, saying Ratcliffe's spell so far has produced no positive results and that he would welcome any new buyer.
Butt points to the price tag
Butt, Scholes's co-host on the podcast, said the biggest obstacle could be the Glazers' asking price. He said the family are looking for about £8bn and argued United are not worth that figure in their current state.
Butt also pointed to the risk of missing out on Champions League qualification, saying that would affect commercial income and player values.
United's poor start in the Premier League has intensified the pressure. The source material says the club were 17th after taking seven points from nine matches, with concern growing over a possible failure to reach next season's Champions League.
For now, the Beckham idea remains a suggestion rather than a formal bid, and no agreement to buy the club has been announced.