Potential Man Utd bidders considering 'explosive' deal that would see the Glazers retain control

Manchester United fans could be facing the prospect of the Glazers remaining in control of the club as potential new investors consider buying a minority stake in the club.

The United owners announced in November that they were looking for 'new investment' which would likely be used to help improve the club's facilities and potentially finance a new stadium.

However, it was unclear whether this meant a full sale was likely or just a minority investment from an outside source.

Several reports hinted that new owners were more likely with British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently revealing his interest in taking over from the Glazers.

However, a new report from Alex Miller in The Mail on Sunday, has revealed that shareholders in fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace are considering purchasing a minority stake in United.

Josh Harris and David Blitzer are the interested investors and are reported to be exploring the "potentially explosive deal" after losing out to American tycoon Todd Boehly over the sale of Chelsea last year.

Could the Glazers remain in control?

The reign of the Glazer family has been littered with controversy, with fan groups staging regular protests against their ownership ever since they completing their leveraged buyout of the club back in 2005.

Fans were angered by the manner of the takeover, which plunged the club into more than £500m worth of debt.

Supporters have since criticised the owners for a perceived lack of investment in the club and their policy of taking semi-annual dividends.

Last year, there were many premature celebrations when the American family gave the clearest indication yet of selling up.

Whilst it could still happen, fans should be wary that the Glazers may instead seek a partial sale of the club in order to secure an injection of cash needed for a rebuild.

Harris and Blitzer would be forced to sell their stake in Palace if they became shareholders at United, but the chance to invest in one of the world's biggest clubs may be too tempting to turn down.

While the Glazers aren't against a full sale of United, the chance to remain at the helm working alongside fellow US billionaires is something that might appeal to them.