London - The American owners of football club Manchester
United are planning to list the club on the Hong Kong stock exchange, according
to a report in the Sunday Times newspaper.
United's owners, the Glazer family, who took the club
private following their £790m takeover in 2005, are keen to return it to the
public markets, the report said, citing sources close to the discussions.
The report said bankers had told the Glazer family that a £1.7bn valuation was a realistic target if United is listed in Hong Kong, with the club's strong fan base in Asia meaning its shares would likely attract a higher price than in London.
The sources said talks were at an early stage and that the
Glazers would assess how successful the forthcoming £10bn flotation of fashion
business Prada was before deciding whether to press ahead with the plan.
Manchester United was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Reuters.