Manchester United fans might have got their hopes up over a new billionaire owner, but it would seem the chances of Elon Musk investing in the club are slim.
South African-born American businessman Musk, who among his many ventures is the founder of SpaceX and chief executive of Tesla, caused a stir on Tuesday by claiming he was going to buy United.
The club s fanbase have long wanted its current owners, the Glazer family, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, to sell up, with many supporters and pundits blaming the team s failures in the post Alex Ferguson era on sub-par investment.
Just three days after United suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at Brentford, Musk wrote on Twitter: I m buying Manchester United ur [you re] welcome.
In the wake of Musk s first tweet, United s share price spiked by close to 17 per cent before settling slightly after the US pre-market trade.
Yet when asked if he seriously intended to purchase United, Musk responded: No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I m not buying any sports teams.
However, Musk did not fully close the door.
Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U, the 51-year-old went on to write. They were my fav team as a kid.
No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
