Gearoid Reidy, Columnist

Manchester United Is a Joke Even to Elon Musk

Frustrated supporters briefly hoped against hope the mogul was serious when he tweeted he was buying the struggling club. (Spoiler: He wasn’t.)

August 17, 2022 at 9:45 AM UTC

By Gearoid Reidy

Gearoid Reidy is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Japan and the Koreas. He previously led the breaking news team in North Asia, and was the Tokyo deputy bureau chief.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return has failed to reverse Manchester United’s fortunes.
Photographer: John Walton - PA Images/PA Images

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As the old football saying goes, it’s the hope that kills you.

Fans of Manchester United may have briefly wished that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, might actually have been serious when he tweeted he was buying the storied but stumbling English football club.