America: My Time

Chapter 576 Acquiring Manchester United
Chapter 566 Acquiring Manchester United

"What did you say? Hurricane Investments is acquiring Manchester United Football Club?" By the time John took action the next day, Hurricane Investments already held a significant amount of Manchester United stock. After all, many big players had suffered heavy losses during the stock market crash and had to sell their shares, which Hurricane Investments had acquired at rock-bottom prices.

No one knows how much Manchester United stock Hurricane Investments owns, but most people understand that this is a test; Manchester United Football Club is just a pawn to see whether the English will accept or refuse.

“They are testing us. It seems they don’t want to continue talking to us. We can’t let Rolls-Royce’s issues drag us into such a big investment. If we refuse this time, investors will be hesitant to invest in us for a long time. Gulfstream Aerospace is already an industry giant, and we need to be careful.”

"Let's wait for the outcome of the negotiations over there. This isn't something we can decide on our own. We need time to discuss it with everyone, hear their opinions, and then react. As for Manchester United Football Club, we'll turn a blind eye and let them acquire it without any obstruction!"

Hurricane Investment's bid to acquire Manchester United quickly became headline news in England. Everyone wanted to know why this Wall Street crocodile would be interested in Manchester United. Some people wanted to interview John, but they were all turned away. In England, John also has his own estate, a private property that outsiders are not allowed to enter.

"Well, did Gulfstream Space agree to our conditions?" Iron Lady looked at her subordinates expectantly, but the result disappointed her. Gulfstream Space did not accept their conditions, but instead put forward its own requirements, which was also the final announcement.

"It seems we all underestimated this Wall Street tycoon. It appears he has made his decision. Do you think we should accept their terms? Acquiring Rolls-Royce engines—what an appetite! Can Gulfstream Aerospace afford that with its current funds?"

"I don't know, but since the other party dared to speak, they must have some confidence. Moreover, this person is not simple. Standard Chartered Bank has become his private bank, and he is rapidly expanding in Asia and Europe. He is very powerful. There is also Hurricane Investment. We don't know how much capital this investment company can mobilize."

"This little guy always acts decisively. We can't stall for time. If we don't make a decision by the time limit, they will give up. But they want too much, which will affect the security of Britain! The Short Brothers' problem is not too big, but the impact on Westland Aircraft Manufacturing Company is much bigger. It seems that Gulfstream Aerospace wants to compete with Boeing, otherwise it would not be expanding so frantically."

"That's everyone's view. Now that Gulfstream Aerospace has acquired Lockheed Aircraft, its last weakness has been addressed. Lockheed has experience in large aircraft development, and we all suspect that Gulfstream Aerospace might abandon Fokker Aircraft. The previous farce has already made them uneasy. The investment in large aircraft projects is staggering, and they don't want any hidden problems to remain. If that's the case, Gulfstream Aerospace's production plant in Europe might be located in Britain. It's somewhat similar to the Bentley Group's situation last time; they don't have time to continue entangled with us."

As the Prime Minister, he naturally understands this. For these heavy industry giants, such acquisitions are kept secret, and development plans are also kept confidential. If the negotiations on this side fail, the other party will naturally change its strategy and will not necessarily have to cooperate with Britain. Their biggest advantage is that they have a large number of talents and supporting facilities in the field of aircraft manufacturing.

"If we negotiate with them, is it possible to get Gulfstream Aerospace to drop its claim to a controlling stake in Rolls-Royce?"

“That’s impossible. Gulfstream Aerospace has Pratt & Whitney, and it has enough expertise in the engine field. It’s impossible for them to take care of Rolls-Royce’s development without a controlling stake. They’ve given us three options: either acquire them directly, take a controlling stake in Rolls-Royce, or we give up our demands on them. This means that Rolls-Royce will lose more market share, and the situation will be more serious.”

"Then let's gather everyone together to discuss how to respond to them. Time is limited, and we need to speed things up. If the outside world finds out about this investment and acquisition, it will cause a lot of trouble. Hurricane Investment's acquisition of Manchester United is not only a test, but also buying us time!" England is in dire need of foreign investment after the stock market crash. If Gulfstream Aerospace's investment is rejected, the impact on England will be too great.

"Ava, how many shares of Manchester United does Hurricane Investment hold?" Two days later, John inquired about the progress of the Manchester United acquisition, as the agreed-upon time between Gulfstream Aerospace and the British was approaching, and it was time for him to make his move.

"If there are no unforeseen circumstances, the full acquisition can be completed today. Then we need to submit it to the FA and wait for their approval. We should have a result soon." As a secretary, Ava was quite familiar with the acquisition situation. Although she didn't understand her boss's intentions, she knew that this matter was very important.

There are quite a few people watching Manchester United right now, all waiting for John's move and the FA's reaction. With the British market currently sluggish, nothing is better than attracting foreign investment to revive it. If the FA doesn't agree, it means Gulfstream Aerospace's acquisition is unlikely to succeed. However, this is a game of strategy, and John currently holds the upper hand. If the British don't want their economy to remain sluggish, they must take action. After all, the global economy is weak, and changing this situation won't happen overnight. Everyone is waiting for the stock market crash to end, but that won't be over anytime soon!

On the same day the report on the hurricane investment was submitted to the FA, the Queen called, and Downing Street stated that it must be approved without any conditions, and that it should be heavily publicized to create a huge buzz.

The following morning, the FA's press conference was packed with reporters. Today was the day the FA would announce whether Hurricane Investments had approved the takeover of Manchester United. Everyone wanted to get the first scoop, especially since Hurricane Investments' report described the acquisition as a sports group, and included promotional explanations. Most importantly, its owner was American, a Wall Street tycoon who had escaped unscathed during the stock market crash.

As soon as the time came, the FA's spokesperson appeared, and the room erupted in a flurry of camera flashes. "Ladies and gentlemen," the spokesperson announced, "after a comprehensive evaluation by the FA, the acquisition of Manchester United by Hurricane Investment, representing the sports group, will bring positive changes and benefit the healthy development of Manchester United. Therefore, the FA has approved this acquisition."

When this statement was released, it caused an uproar in England. No one expected the Football Association to approve the acquisition of a domestic football club by foreign capital. Although the FA had given its approval and affirmation of the acquisition, the fans did not think so. Many fans have begun to protest outside the clubs to express their dissatisfaction.

"Heh, the British are really reacting strongly. But this is the reaction to the Manchester United acquisition. I wonder what kind of impact the next acquisition will have, and how these guys will react!" England is John's stronghold in Europe. As long as the expansion in England goes smoothly, he can gradually extend his reach throughout Europe. This is why John came in person, and why he used the Manchester United acquisition as a test.

The outcome is positive; at least they didn't refuse, which means there's room for negotiation. The question remains: what will the final result be, and to what extent can they compromise? The possibility of cooperation is the best possible response.

In the Manchester United meeting room, the leadership team was seated. Although none of them had met John, the big boss, before, they all began to learn about this incredibly young American man when Hurricane Investments started acquiring Manchester United. Many were shocked to learn that he was a Wall Street crocodile, a Hollywood mogul, and a Silicon Valley tycoon.

In short, John has many titles to his name, and he is now also qualified as a sports tycoon because he once went on a buying spree of teams in the four major leagues in the United States, which is enough to prove his ambition and how powerful his methods are.

"Ladies and gentlemen, although this is our first meeting, the acquisition of the club has been approved by the FA, and we have no major objections to the club as a whole. We have full confidence in Mr. Peter Kenyon's abilities, and he will remain as the club's chief executive officer, responsible for the club's operations."

Although Peter Kenyon already knew he would remain in his position before the acquisition, he still stood up and said, "Please rest assured, Chairman, I will work together with my colleagues to turn the club's losses around."

At that time, there was no Premier League, only the First Division. Moreover, because of the events of 1985, English clubs were banned from participating in European competitions by UEFA for five years, which had a significant impact on the clubs. Even Manchester United was greatly affected.

“Very good, I have confidence in you! With you all here, I believe Manchester United can reach even greater heights. From now on, the salaries of all management personnel will be increased by 10%, and the salaries of all staff members will be increased by 5%. The club will also raise £100 million!”

"Hiss!" In an instant, everyone present gasped, stunned by the boss's announcement. Although the boss was young, his methods were incredibly shrewd. In this situation, nothing was more effective at stabilizing and uniting the team than a pay raise. Keep in mind that this was during a stock market crash, when most companies were laying off employees, while the club was giving its staff a raise—the difference was immediately apparent. At this moment, the uneasy management team felt relieved!

(End of this chapter)