Manchester United find themselves in a precarious position — sitting in the relegation zone of the Premier League — with manager Michael Carrick's future at the club hanging in the balance. Sky Sports News chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol addressed a wide range of supporter questions about the state of the club, its ownership structure, and what the future may hold.

Is a sale of the club realistic?

On the question of whether the Glazer family might sell Manchester United, Solhekol was direct: the club is not currently for sale. No bank or financial adviser has been instructed to find buyers, and there has been no official indication that the Glazers are looking to exit. That said, he acknowledged that any sufficiently large offer — in the billions of pounds or dollars — could change the picture.

Solhekol also pointed to the complexity of any potential deal. Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS holds around 30 percent of the club, and so-called drag-along rights mean that if the Glazers' majority stake were acquired, Ratcliffe and INEOS would be compelled to sell their shares too — a complicating factor for any prospective buyer.

Middle Eastern ownership: a distant prospect

When asked about the possibility of a UAE or broader Middle Eastern consortium taking over, Solhekol recalled that the most credible rival bid during the last sale process came from Qatar — specifically Sheikh Jassim — who was prepared to clear the club's historic debt but walked away when the Glazers' asking price, reported to be in the region of five or six billion pounds, was deemed excessive.

He noted that Abu Dhabi's acquisition of Manchester City cost around 150 to 160 million pounds, and Qatar's purchase of Paris Saint-Germain cost roughly 100 million pounds — figures that make a multi-billion-pound valuation of a struggling Manchester United a difficult sell. With ongoing instability across the Middle East and fluctuating oil revenues, Solhekol suggested that investors from that region have more pressing concerns right now.

A club that has slipped from the summit

Solhekol agreed that Manchester United are no longer the financial or footballing force they once were. Where they were once the richest club in the world — ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona — they now rank around eighth or ninth globally, having been overtaken by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and in England by Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City.

Despite that decline, he observed that media interest in the club remains disproportionately high relative to their current standing — a reflection, he suggested, of the enormous global fanbase that continues to drive attention and commercial value.

Why was Carrick kept on?

Solhekol acknowledged that keeping Carrick beyond his interim role may now look like a misjudgement. At the time, the decision rested on the fact that he had guided United to a third-place finish and Champions League qualification — no small achievement. He was also considered the least risky option available.

In hindsight, though, a wealth of experienced managers were available — among them Andoni Iraola, Xabi Alonso, Thomas Frank, Oliver Glasner, Marco Silva, Antonio Conte, and Roberto De Zerbi — and United chose not to pursue them.

Carrick deserves better treatment

On the question of whether the club should stand by Carrick, Solhekol was emphatic. He said he would like to see Carrick retain his position, adding that the way the manager has been treated in recent weeks — by those above and around him — has left a deeply unpleasant impression. As a player, Carrick won 11 major trophies with Manchester United, including five league titles, and Solhekol argued he deserves far more respect than he has been shown.

Pochettino: unfinished business, but not the answer?

Regarding reports linking Mauricio Pochettino to the role, Solhekol offered a measured take. He noted that Pochettino has genuine affection for the club and has long harboured an ambition to manage Manchester United — there were even reports of a dinner with Sir Alex Ferguson back in 2013 that fuelled early speculation. However, Solhekol stopped short of calling Pochettino a transformative appointment, noting that this would be his sixth club in 12 years and describing the Manchester United job, in its current state, as one he would not wish upon someone he holds in such high regard.

On the suggestion of pursuing Carlo Ancelotti instead, Solhekol indicated he could not see that happening, though the article did not capture his full reasoning on that point.