August 17 – Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, insists he was not serious after briefly electrifying the debate over the future of Manchester United by posting on Twitter that he is buying the club.
Under new manager Erik Ten Haag, United have lost their opening two league games for the first time since 1921
“No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams,” Musk (pictured) explained. “Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U. They were my fav team as a kid.”
About four hours earlier, in a tweet that gained nearly 500,000 likes in a matter of hours, Musk had tweeted “I’m buying Manchester United ur (sic) welcome”, without offering any details.
Some United fans, increasingly angry by their club’s declining fortunes and especially the Glazer family who own the club, had previously urged Musk on Twitter to consider taking over.
The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO made his original comment in reply to another of his tweets, about supporting both of the United States’ two major political parties.
The Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have long been the focus of United fans’ fury after the club’s fall from grace in recent years. The Red Devils finished last season a disappointing sixth in the English Premier League and are bottom of the table after two defeats in as many games.
Fresh protests against the Glazers are planned ahead of United’s next game, at home to fierce rivals Liverpool on August 22.
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