Manchester United have set up a luxurious lounge on Davos’ main high street as the World Economic Forum hits town.
The club has insisted the lounge is purely for the entertainment of clients and guests, however, and unrelated to its ongoing search for a new buyer – a club spokesperson told Reuters the lounge was “definitely not” aimed at attracting buyers.
United announced in November that it was looking at options to attract new finance to the club, potentially including an outright sale, however the spokesperson insisted that the review was still underway and “we don’t know the outcome.”
An official statement from the club said “Manchester United is proud to be the first sports team to partner with the World Economic Forum. Our global community of 1.1 billion fans and followers provide us with powerful opportunities to engage across cultural and geographical boundaries. We are in Davos to explore ways to maximise the impact of the extraordinary reach.”
Manchester United has been in the hands of the American Glazer family since 2005 following a two-year-long buy-up of shares that cost a total of around £800m. The family have had an often fractious relationship with fans over those years, most notably leading to the formation of splinter club FC United of Manchester in protest in 2005. The club is currently exploring options to renew or replace its Old Trafford stadium, which could cost up to £2bn.
Reports have linked various interested parties from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, the US and the UK with the club since the intention to seek investment was announced.
Interested parties who are already in Davos might like to drop by the lounge this evening, when former keeper Peter Schmeichel will be hosting a nightcap for guests featuring canapes and a specialty “red devil” cocktail. They can also check out displays including a framed shirt, copies of former manager Alex Ferguson’s book on leadership and rows of branded black tote bags.
