Glazer ups pace in Man U stake race

AMERICAN billionaire Malcolm Glazer has scooped up a further two million shares in Manchester United for an estimated £5m in the past week, taking his total holding to 9.66%.

Glazer, who owns Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers in America, is widely seen as a potential bidder for United and is one of four tycoons who could decide the club's fate.

He today told United his holding had gone up to 25.2m shares since his previous holding of 23.2m was revealed on 8 October.

That follows another buying spree from Irish horse-racing tycoons John Magnier and JP McManus, who raised their combined stake in United to more than 23% earlier this month.

Media entrepreneur John de Mol, creator of the Big Brother television series, speaks for a further 4% in the club.

The four stake owners are thought to be acting independently of each other, but their aims for the Premier league club are unclear.

Despite United's attempts to set up meetings, Glazer remains coy about making contact.