'It doesn't work' - Gary Neville gives worrying assessment of Manchester United takeover reports

Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has begged the Glazers to sell the club amid reports Sir Jim Ratcliffe is nearing a takeover.

According to The Times, Ratcliffe is closing in on a deal for the Reds. It is claimed that the Glazers are now willing to enter final discussions with him over his bid.

Reports have suggested, should the INEOS owner be successful in his bid, he would allow Joel and Avram Glazer to remain on the board. However, speaking to CBS Sports, Neville insisted this should not happen.

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"I've not heard the pledges that have been made by any of the bids," he said. "At the moment, there's the Jim Ratcliffe bid, the Qatari bid and a number of US investment funds.

"I don't want private equity into an English football club, I'll be really clear. I don't think it works.

"I think football is about emotion. Believe it or not, in Manchester, I have a partnership with a US private equity fund and in other sectors of life, I love international investment.

"But I think in football clubs, you can't go into it purely because you want to see a return. When it comes to the current bids, at this moment in time, I think Jim Ratcliffe's bid has its merits, the Qatari bid has its own merits.

"My main concern at this moment in time is that the Glazer family sell and that they remove themselves from the club. They'll make a lot of money, well done for that.

"They've proved to be very astute business people but now it's time to hand over control because the club has deteriorated under their ownership."

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