Rory McIlroy has revealed he would jump at the chance to buy a stake in Manchester United.
The golfer is among a host of number sports stars to have recently invested in Formula One team Alpine, along with Anthony Joshua and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
McIlroy is a boyhood fan of United, where the ownership situation is yet to be resolved. The Glazer family announced last year they were open to selling, but the process has dragged on and Qatari's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has pulled out of the race due to the valuation.
It's been reported that British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to purchase a 25% stake in United, with McIlroy expressing his desire to one day invest in the club.
“Sports team ownership used to be limited to private equity, and people who had a ton of money," McIlroy told Sky Sports.
"But now sports stars are becoming more savvy and using their money in the right way.
“I would love to be able to own a tiny percentage of the club I grew up cheering on as a boy. I would have loved to have taken 0.00001 per cent of Manchester United when Jim Ratcliffe took 25 per cent.
"And if another opportunity comes my way I will look at it. But it is not something that has come across our table as of yet.”
McIlroy would not be the first high-profile golfer to get involved with football ownership. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas bought shares in 49ers Enterprises earlier this summer, ahead of the investment group assuming full control of Leeds.
Rickie Fowler was also set to invest, but decided against it after Leeds' relegation to the Championship, while McIlroy had his own reasons for staying away.
“There is Tom Brady at Birmingham and there are a few golfers — Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas — who invested with the 49ers Group, and they own a tiny slice of Leeds," McIlroy said.
"They asked me if I wanted to come on board, and I said as a Man United fan I cannot go anywhere near that!"
