Would Glazer Buy Fulham? - 16/10/2004

Would Malcolm Glazer be interested in buying Fulham if he was thwarted in his bid for Manchester United? Mohamed al Fayed says he is unwilling to sell Fulham, but there is a growing belief that the right price may sway him. The Glazer family are understood to have inquired about Fulham in recent weeks. It would be a snip compared with Manchester United as it is understood that the club would cost £100 million, an amount comparable with the sum that Al Fayed has invested. But there is, of course, no comparison between the renovated Craven Cottage and Old Trafford and any investor would probably have to be willing to stump for a new ground if they wanted to make the club a serious Premiership contender. A consortium of Turkish businessmen, led by Halai Falayi, who made his money in hotels and casinos, was seen touring the training ground in the company of director Mark Collins. It is understood that they have tabled an offer of £85m, but Fulham insisted that the visit was simply a 'courtesy' meeting and insisted that the club was not for sale.