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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

Thomas Zilliacus stance on Liverpool takeover after Manchester United bid

Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus has ruled out an approach to bid for Liverpool after making an offer to buy Manchester United earlier this week.

Zilliacus, who is chairman of the social media group novaM Group, has submitted an offer through XXI Century Capital, an investment firm owned by his holding company.

The Finn's unique bid comes via his fan involvement, which would allow them to buy a stake in the club and have an equal say via an app.

READ MORE: Thomas Zilliacus insists United bid is 'on same level' as Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe

Zilliacus has already been linked with a move to buy Liverpool if his proposal to buy United isn't successful, but he has taken to social media to shoot down that suggestion.

"Some newspapers report that I would be interested in buying Liverpool," he wrote on Twitter. "That is incorrect. ManU has been my club since I was a boy. My full focus is on being successful with the bid I have made.

"My bid for ManU is not depending on funding by fans. My group wants to first buy the club, then open it up for the fans to ultimately own 50% and have a say in all major decisions. That is a model that works perfectly in Scandinavia, no reason it wouldn't in the UK."

Zilliacus told the Manchester Evening News on Friday that his bid is “on the same level” as those from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and announced on Saturday morning that he had increased his offer.

The 69-year-old outlined that United fans would be able to vote on broad issues and “the bigger and general principles of the club”, including player transfer philosophy - for example, whether should they target younger prospects or established international stars.

However, the Scandinavian entrepreneur - who was chairman of Finnish football giants HJK Helsinki between 1982 and 1986 - refrained from suggesting that fans would be able to vote on more divisive topics such as the sacking of managers, specific transfer targets and squad selection.

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