Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is backing a take-over of the club, financiers linked to the bid claimed on Sunday. A group of wealthy United fans known as the Red Knights last week mooted to possibility of taking control of the club from the Glazer family, whose leveraged take-over in 2005 has saddled the club with 716 million pounds (1.084 million dollars) of debt.
Ferguson has denied the report. "It's absolute rubbish. Not an ounce of truth in it," he said.
But another source said: "We all know we have his support, that he likes the people involved, but we can't embarrass him." The Red Knights are led by Jim O'Neill, chief economist of Goldman Sachs, a member of the United board before the Glazer take-over and a close friend of the United manager.