Ashling O’Conner in the Times:
‘Four of the top ten richest men in the English game are United shareholders. Malcolm Glazer, the US entrepreneur trying in vain to buy United, is placed sixth in the list with a personal fortune of £560 million, of which about £200 million can be accounted for by the value of his 28.1 per cent stake in the club.
‘The 76-year-old lags behind Dermot Desmond, the principal shareholder in Celtic, whose 1 per cent stake in United helped to put him at No 2 in the list.
‘But Glazer, owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team, is ahead of his rival United shareholders, John Magnier and J. P. McManus, who are ranked eighth and thirteenth respectively, with net worths of £520 million and £400 million. The fourth man associated with United in the top ten is Harry Dobson, the Scottish mining magnate, who has a 6.5 per cent stake in the club.
‘It is no coincidence that the only Premiership manager to make the list of football’s 100 fattest wallets is Sir Alex Ferguson, who squeaks in at No 92. His arch rival, Arsène Wenger fails to make the list with an estimated wealth of £7 million, on a par with Kevin Keegan, of Manchester City.
‘The richest player in English football, with a personal wealth of £65 million, is David Beckham.
‘Leading active players
‘1 David Beckham £65m
2 Dennis Bergkamp £37m
3 Michael Owen £30m
4 Robbie Fowler £28m
5 Alan Shearer £22m
6 = Sol Campbell ; Rio Ferdinand; Ryan Giggs; Roy Keane, £20m
10 Thierry Henry, £18m’