Manchester United is "more than a club", according to Thomas Zilliacus, who bid to take over the Premier League giants in March.
Zilliacus failed in his bid for the club, which would have included the consortium he led to creating a vehicle for fans to purchase up to half of the shares.
The 69-year-old, who is the founder and chairman of novaM Group, suggested that failure was down to some members of the Glazer family being unwilling to sell.
Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani are the bidders left in the race.
Speaking to Stats Perform, Zilliacus said: "Manchester United is more than a club. It's an institution that is known all over the world.
"I've lived in Asia for a long time and Manchester United is as famous as Big Ben out in Asia.
"So it's an institution that has been there long before any of the current investors were born and it is going to be there long after we all have died.
"So I think it's more of the privilege of being a caretaker of an institution that if you become an owner of a club like United.
"I think whatever happens, it needs to be something that is beneficial to the club and its fans. And like I said, I think both these bidders have a genuine interest to improve the club and obviously are also willing to put in a lot of money."
Zilliacus did not hide his frustration at the bidding process.
He explained: "I didn't like the process in the way it was run. To be honest, I don't think it was run in a very professional manner.
"I think that probably reflects the fact that the Glazer family has six siblings and I don't think that they all have the same view on what they want to do.
"What I would normally have expected is that if you have a deadline for bids, and you get serious bidders as they got there, at least three that we know in public; Sheikh Jassim, Jim Ratcliffe, and myself, then you sit down and negotiate with those bidders.
"What instead happened here was that there was, again, a new round and again, a new round kind of starting from scratch.
"That was one reason but the main reason why we then finally withdrew was, frankly, financial. I felt, and my consortium felt that the price simply went up too high.
"It's a business that has to be profitable at the end of the day. And I think with the price tag that the Glazers put on the club, I think it is very tough to make a profit."
Asked why he wanted to take over at Old Trafford, Zilliacus said: "Manchester United has one of the biggest, maybe the biggest, fan base in the world.
"So the fan base was something that, in particular, we felt was very interesting. The other part is, of course, the club in itself. It's a club that I've been following since I was 11 years old. I'm not investing because I'm a fan, but it helps when you like the club as well.
"Last but not least, the UK as a market is very interesting because of the substantial money that is coming from media rights. So those would have been the main reasons."
Slot: Guardiola contract is 'good news' for Premier League
Arne Slot believes it is "good news" for the Premier League that Pep Guardiola has signed a contract extension with Manchester City.
The Spaniard signed a two-year extension with the reigning champions and will remain in the dugout at the Etihad until 2027.
He has won 18 major trophies in his time at City, including six Premier League titles, and twice beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the top-flight crown by a single point.
Guardiola averages 2.35 points per game in the Premier League, the highest rate of any manager (20+ matches). Indeed, he is so far ahead of the next highest (Alex Ferguson's 2.16), he could lose his next 26 league games in a row and would still be top.
Slot is yet to face City since taking over from Klopp at the start of the season, with the rivals' first meeting of the season set for December 1.
"It's good news for City and for the league because everyone wants the best managers and the best players over here," Slot said when asked about Guardiola's new contract.
"He is definitely one of the best managers, maybe the best manager of the league.
"He's won four titles in a row, so it's fair to say he's maybe the best manager in the league.
"On the other hand, they have so many quality players that, if he would have made the choice to leave, I wouldn't have expected them to end up bottom of the league next season."
Other Premier League managers echoed Slot's sentiment, with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who inflicted a fourth consecutive defeat on City before the international break, saying it is the "best thing that can happen to the Premier League".
"He is one of the best coaches in the world," Hurzeler said. "With his ideas, he always brings something new to the football stage, and it is always a challenge to compete against him.
"He always adapts quickly, always has new ideas and he can always win the game. I'm very happy because we can learn from him and to compete with him is a big, big experience."
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe added: "He's contributed so much to English football. He's revolutionised how a lot of teams play.
"I think he's incredibly talented, and it's good for the English game that he's still here.
"He will continue to develop and evolve his style, and people will potentially continue to follow that. From the competition side, I think it keeps the Premier League as the best in the world."
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
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