US tech giant Apple has joined the race to buy Manchester United, according to reports.
United confirmed the sensational news that the world’s biggest football club is effectively for sale in a statement issued earlier this week.
With United now available, a report from the Daily Star has claimed that the world’s largest tech company may be interested in acquiring the club for £5.8billion.
The California-based tech firm has never previously owned a major sports team, but the commercial opportunities provided by United are said to be a primary factor in their interest.
Any potential deal would almost certainly become the most costly acquisition of a football club in history, surpassing the £4.25billion fee a consortium led by Todd Boehly paid for Chelsea earlier this year.
One major issue facing whomever buys United is Old Trafford, the club’s iconic stadium. The venue has long needed a revamp to compete with the biggest clubs around the world.
It is understood that rebuilding the stadium will cost approximately £1.5bn, making it the most expensive football ground in the world – ahead of Tottenham’s new £1bn stadium.
United moved into the ground – dubbed ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ by fans around the world – in 1910 and have called it home ever since. The stadium was most recently renovated between 2005 and 2006, with 8,000 seats being added.
Red Devils legend Gary Neville has backed calls for the stadium to be rebuilt entirely, when stories first emerged of investment into the arena back in February.
He posted on Instagram: ‘There is a story emerging from Old Trafford that they might rebuild the entire stadium and I have just been asked what I think of it. I actually think that it would be the right move.