Former Carlisle United owner Michael Knighton admits he doesn't have the money to bid for Manchester United.

Chelsea were recently bought for £4.25billion and it's estimated United would sell for a similar figure. Knighton is a successful businessman in his own right, but the chances of his group offering the Glazers such a fee the club were highly unlikely.

Knighton spoke with ITV News on Tuesday night and he admitted that he does not have sufficient resources to own United through his consortium.

"They are small-time billionaires that I have been speaking to for three to four months now", Knighton said. "When I was approached by some fan groups, oddly enough, saying 'look, our club is dying on its feet' would you please do something?'

"I made a few phone calls and I've been pulling this consortium together ever since. We are not the great Sir Jim Ratcliffe. We do not have those resources. We are not some nation state sovereign fund who has oil revenue of two billion a day.

"The point is: someone had to make a stand. If we can smoke the great Sir Jim [Ratcliffe] out to buy Manchester United my consortium will be punching the air because we've achieved what we want to do. We will make the bid with our own consortium.

"But, I'll tell you this, we do not have the resources available to do everything that is needed."