The Newcastle United takeover 'ripple' being felt by Liverpool and Manchester United's owners

That's the view of football finance expert Kieran Maguire after the Glazer family revealed that they were considering selling Manchester United.

Mike Ashley sold Newcastle 13 months ago, and the club, which is third in the Premier League and pushing for a Champions League place, is now 80%-owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Liverpool’s owners, the Fenway Sports Group, have also put the club up for sale.

And Maguire, author of The Price of Football, told the PA news agency: “Could it be said we’re at maximum Premier League? That’s in the sense that what owners were hoping to extract through the European Super League, and also by taking control of the domestic game under Project Big Picture is no longer there.

“As a consequence, they don’t see any opportunity to further monetise their brand. That’s a horrible term, but the Glazers or (Liverpool owner) John Henry don’t care if their club wins, loses or draws, their focus is purely on the bottom line.

“I think (the sale of Chelsea) was very much the catalyst, and there are other Premier League clubs who are quietly up for sale. Everybody has taken a huge interest in what has happened in the last 12 months.

“Newcastle has caused a further ripple, because six-into-four doesn’t go in terms of Champions League places, and seven-into-four makes it even more challenging.

“Is there a case for the United and Liverpool owners thinking ‘if those are the circumstances under which we’re operating, it’s time to get out and give somebody else those problems?'.”