Manchester United takeover saga could have been very different if £575m decision hadn't been made

One of the most powerful figures in the world will call time on his media career later this year.

At 92, Rupert Murdoch, the media behemoth whose influence can be felt across the globe, will step down as the chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp. His influence on the world has been a hot topic of many debates and he very nearly had a huge impact on Manchester United.

One arm of his empire, Sky, transformed the game forever in 1992. A new age of football had arrived and multi-million-pound footballers from overseas were about to become the norm.

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With the promise of riches beyond belief, the Premier League was born. Sky Sports have held the rights for every top-flight season since its inception over 30 years ago. While fans can argue all day about the pros and cons of the modern game, nobody could argue that Murdoch spearheaded the change.

Just six years into the Premier League era, Murdoch wanted more. This time, his sights were set on United.

In the late 90s, reports emerged that Murdoch had tabled a £575million bid to buy the club, a drop in the ocean compared to the Glazer family’s reported £10billion demands.

At first, there was apprehension in the Old Trafford boardroom about the potential sale. United were becoming a financial beast. Club earnings had gone through the roof over a four-year period and they were quickly marking themselves as the face of the Premier League.

Murdoch’s ambitions would be rebuffed by the British Government following a damning report. Prime Minister Tony Blair enjoyed a healthy relationship with Murdoch but almost jeopardised that by denying the Australian his dream football club.

After a