Following the last-minute flapping around Wednesday’s supposed 9pm deadline for those looking to buy Manchester United, one of the latest bidders has revealed themselves with a unique new offer.
Despite it being initially stated that frontrunners Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe had submitted their second bids in time for the deadline, miscommunication between United, their brokers and the bidding parties meant that those reports turned out to be premature.
In actuality, both the Qataris and Ratcliffe’s INEOS group had been granted an extension and will now submit their follow-up offers tonight (Thursday, 23 March). However, it was revealed that “approaching eight” other candidates had emerged and one of the newest bidders’ proposals has raised eyebrows.
Thomas Zilliacus is a Finnish entrepreneur who operates as Founder and Chairman of the Mobile FutureWorks investment and novaM social media groups. Now, according to a statement issued by the new United bidder, he wants to make a kind of social media app part of his offer — and that’s not all.
Zilliacus plans to buy all the Glazers shares using XXI Century Capital (an investment firm he owns) and fan funding. Latter expected to come only if he's successful. In other words, XXI Century Capital would make an outright bid then secure fan funding rather than before.
According to CBS Sports‘ Ben Jacobs, although Zilliacus is also yet to submit an official bid — said to have simply written a “letter of intent” to Raine Group, who are handling the deal — he has now publicly expressed his interest in buying the club and detailed how he plans to do it, it seems like a serious offer.
As the 69-year-old goes on to explain in his lengthy press release, he believes that “any sports club ultimately should belong to its fans” and that the current trend of “billionaire sheikhs and oligarchs taking over clubs and controlling them as their personal playgrounds is not a healthy trend”.
While many will no doubt agree with the sentiment, with the UK government themselves having recently announced a new independent regulator will be installed throughout English football, Zilliacus’ solution to not only purchasing the club and putting control back in the hands of the fans is an intriguing one, to say the least.
Stating that his team believes the current value of the club is approximately $3.9 billion (£3.45bn and some way off the Glazers’ £6bn asking price), he poses the suggestion of financing half of the sum by buying the Americans out and, “through a new company being set up for this specific purpose”, fans would then be encouraged to cover the rest by buying the remaining shares for less than $3 each. Yes, really.
Zilliacus, who is a former footballer and ex-chairman of Finland’s 32-time champions HJK, is also open to partnering with another group in the process.
Now, while fans owning and essentially helping run their own club has long been considered an ideal scenario for many supporters groups who have wrestled to keep some control from owners who are only financially invested in the club, the issue of stability and funding always remains an issue.
You only have to look at instances like Derby, Bolton, Bury, Macclesfield and more in recent years to see how precarious the situation can be. However, in cases like AFC Wimbledon, St Mirren and even clubs as big as Bayern Munich, significant ‘part ownership’ can be a recipe for both stability and success.
Zilliacus insists that not only is his “bid is built on equality with the fans”, but they will have a direct impact on how it is run through this novel new app where supporters “from anywhere in the world, can participate and cast their vote when deciding on footballing matters relating to the club.
As he goes on to clarify, “no decisions will be taken that are not supported by a majority of the fan base”. His proposition is, essentially, to put decisions that often do or should get put to a fan vote anyway onto an app to make the communication and cooperation with the club more streamlined.
It almost sounds too good to be true, especially for a sporting franchise of this size and with such a global fan base. Unsurprisingly, plenty have reacted as such, with one account dubbing it “the funniest thing I’ve heard all week” and another simply saying, “Never ever going to happen”.
Jacobs did go on to state that Zilliacus is likely to submit a formal bid to buy the Glazers out of their shares through his XXI Century Capital investment firm (controlled by the Mobile FutureWorks holding company) before potentially inviting fans to help with funding. Either way, it all sounds very unlikely.
On the other hand, many haven’t been as quick to rubbish the concept off-hand and the fact he also happens to be a former footballer, not to mention part of Finland’s six-time ice hockey champions Jokerit ownership, has also been listed as a positive. Similar has been said of Ratcliffe’s Team Sky and OGC Nice ties.
You can read his full statement and details of his proposal down below:
Bryan Mbuemo transfer saga looks to finally be over as Manchester United agree deal with Brentford
Danny Jones
In one of the biggest transfer sagas of the 2025 summer transfer window, it looks like Manchester United have got their man, as an agreement with Brentford FC is in place and a move for Bryan Mbuemo looks to be a done deal.
Following weeks and weeks of speculation, minor nudges back and forth in the market, it has now been reported that French-born Mbuemo is heading to Man United, having made it apparent that Old Trafford was his desired destination for some time.
Having initially entered a bid of around £45 million before bonuses last month, the west London club stuck to their guns and appear to have got their overall asking price for the player.
According to Ornstein, a trusted transfer source and ever-reliable journalist, United are expected to pay Brentford an estimated £65m for Mbeumo’s signature.
However, with add-ons of approximately £6m, the attacking midfielder’s total price comes out at more than £70m, making his a fee a sales record for a now established Premier League side who have become known as a ‘feeder/selling club’ with excellent recruitment.
It is also said that MUFC and INEOS have arranged for a payment structure that will see the transfer funded over the course of four-year instalments, with a contract valid until 2030 and the option to extend by a further 12 months.
Well-known for using the so-called ‘Moneyball‘ model to their success in recent years, Mbuemo was signed by the Bees back in 2019, when they were still in the Championship, and he cost just £5.8m from ES Troyes AC – also a club record signing at the time.
Fast forward just a few seasons, not to mention 121 goal contributions in all competitions (28 of those coming last season alone), and he’s been deemed worth about 12 times that amount.
Here are just a few reasons why they’ve been after him.
"He's a player who likes to attack space!" 🔥
With Bryan Mbuemo Manchester United-bound, what can we expect from the winger? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ebmG8scUBy
Still just 25 years old, it’s fair to say he fits the balance of age and experience that the club are looking to recruit, as well as boasting a profile that suits the system Ruben Amorim is looking to deploy with his ever-shifting squad.
At least on paper, anyway.
Meanwhile, outgoing deals are still expected to be completed before the end of the summer window, with key first-team players like homegrown Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and loanee Antony all still expected to depart.
Stockport school sees under 15s girls football team crowned national champions
Danny Jones
A local Stockport secondary has welcomed home their under-15s girls’ football team as national champions after winning the English Schools’ FA Cup.
Marple Hall School (MHS), located in the south-east part of the old Cheshire borough, is a high-performing educational institution known for its strong investment in youth sport.
Boasting a large sports hall, dedicated 3G footy pitches, MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area), gymnasium, netball and tennis courts, as well as other grass surfaces, many of the town’s nearby clubs make use of the facilities throughout the year.
However, it’s their homegrown talent that is having the spotlight rightfully shone on them this week, as a side of junior female footballers won the prestigious FA tournament for sporting youngsters.
The squad of Year 10 girls – consisting of Marple Hall players aged 14-15 – faced off against Kings Langley last week in the decisive fixture away at Sixways Stadium, home of Worcester City FC and the Worcester Warriors rugby union side.
Following their landmark victory this month, this most recent title has seen them crowned Stockport, Manchester and now National champions, thanks to their 2-1 win in the Development Cup Finals.
Writing in a proud and lengthy post on the school’s website, headteacher Joe Barker described the campaign as “a remarkable run for a remarkable team” and a “thoroughly deserved” trophy, despite coming up against a “really strong team” travelling from the Hertfordshire village.
Barker went on to add: “Team MHS were supported so well by the travelling family and friends, and of course by the 44 students who made their presence known in the stands. Outnumbered but certainly not outvoiced, the chants from team MHS were non-stop and so supportive.
“Not only that, but the whole school got behind the team with the tie live-streamed into every classroom and our halls over lunch.
“My colleagues tell me that they have never felt an atmosphere like it at MHS, the whole school site reverberating to the cheers when the teams came out, when Penny scored her two amazing goals, and at the final whistle.”
He even cited an anecdote of one young pupil telling fellow teacher Miss Gregory: “This is a really mint day for our school, isn’t it, miss? I’m really glad I come here!” He was responding to the moment the aforementioned Stopfordian star, Penny Hallos, scored an audacious backheel to make it a brace.
Unsurprisingly, she earned the player of the match award for her game-winning efforts.
To make things even sweeter, the incredible achievement was also recognised in the House of Commons, with Hazel Grove MP Lisa Smart motioning to toast their success among her fellow peers.
Celebrating not just the English championship but their Treble-winning year, Smart declared: “The whole of the town is incredibly proud of these girls for their achievements.
“My recent hundredth speech in Parliament was on ensuring that girls and young women were given the opportunities to participate in sport, and it is fantastic to be able to celebrate these young women who are doing just that.
“It’s great to be able to help celebrate their national success at Parliament, and I look forward to them achieving wonderful things going forward.”
Better still, nearly £1,500 was raised on top of the fund collected in order to help get the girls to the ground on matchday, and all that money is going directly towards further sports provision for the girls and young women’s sport, specifically.
You can watch the game in full down below, but we’ve highlighted that ingenious second strike from Hallos for you (rewind to around 41:45 to see her equaliser).
Congrats again to the SK, Greater Mancunian and now National champions – we hope we go on to see plenty of your names up in lights soon enough.
Danny Jones -
23rd March 2023 
