Manchester United announced last week that it's up for sale. Who are the lucky bankers working on the deal? That trophy goes to New-York based boutique bank The Raine Group, the “exclusive financial advisor” of the Glazer family, the primary shareholders of the club.
The Raine Group were also Roman Abramovich’s banker of choice for his sale of Chelsea earlier this year, after the oligarch was obliged to sell the club in the face of UK sanctions. While you won't see the Raine Group on any league tables, the fees associated with football deals can be considerable. Forbes estimated Manchester United to be worth $4.6bn earlier this year, over 50% more than Chelsea.