MALCOLM Glazer's takeover of Manchester United will invariably raise questions about the future of manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The American on Thursday increased his personal stake to 70% after persuading Irish racing tycoons JP McManus and John Magnier to sell their 28.7% share and he is expected to complete the takeover on Friday.
Ferguson has been an outspoken critic of Glazer and the way in which he has stalked the club.
Last November he said: "Sometimes we can get too emotional as a club with things that are happening but we are both of a common denominator; we don't want the club to be in anyone else's hands. That is the way that the club stands with that. I support that."
The latest developments will have done nothing to improve the mood of the manager, who is attempting to salvage something from a disappointing season in the FA Cup against Arsenal.
Once Glazer has assumed control at Old Trafford and taken the club back into private ownership his main priority will be to clarify the position of Ferguson.
It has previously been suggested by the Glazer camp that Ferguson is seen as an essential component in any deal and the Scot is expected to receive a '25million transfer `war chest' should he extend his 18-year stay with the Red Devils.
That is far from certain however. Ferguson has previously publicly spoken out against any attempt to delist the club from the Stock Market and at 63, the most successful manager English football has ever known may decide he does not want to be part of the Glazer revolution.
But Ferguson's departure would be a PR catastrophe for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner, who has failed to win over the United fans, and it seems likely - in the short term at least - Glazer will want to hang onto the services of the manager.
What do you think Ferguson will do? Have your say.
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I wanted another manager but i don't want to see him go like this. I'll be quite happy to see some directors leaving but SAF has to stay at the club, in fact they could give him Gill's job. It's wierd, everything's suddenly different. Glazer won't touch SAF, as usual it'll be SAF who decides.
Delighted that Glazer will take control. Hopefully a new manager will follow !
christ......is sir alex left man u there've had it. he is irriplacable. after all what he has won over the years he deserves better than what he has had to put up with. i think sir alex should bow out and walk, he dosn't owe man u anything.......the board have obviously kicked him in the nuts over the past few years. he has won everything he can and dosn't need to prove himself to anyone anymore not even to himself. if he goes because of this issue that is hanging over now, it will be the last of man u ......i think that it will be very hard to replace alex with someone else, also i think that if sir alex walks i think certain players that are quite close to him will walk too, especially those players that are quite older and came through the youths with sir alex. they are very loyal to him, if it was me that was a player on the urge of retiring ......before i got a kick in the nuts after working so many years at man u and staying loyal to man u and espaecially loyal to sir alex........i would rather walk and tell them to stick it where the son don't shine......but hmmmmm the players and especially sir alex will be loyal to the fans. but i believe in this life it's every man for themselves, and if that big usa clown takes over i think sir alex should say ...man u get lost...and bow out gracefully rather than let a yank tell him where to go.
sorry glazier your not welcome. if he takes over that would be the end of me buying all my murchendise.........i wouldn't give him the satisfaction
ta ta taz