Galatasaray, Brighton, and Crystal Palace. It pours when it rains. It is raining inside Old Trafford.

The largest issue Manchester United is now dealing with—a club whose recent history has been so volatile that the term “crisis” is nearly always followed—is by no means the leaky roof. The mentality of the elite is shown by the water pouring through the stand, as the large number of Galatasaray supporters at the home end further demonstrates. It’s the trickle, drip, drip of the Glazers’ apathy, failure, and emptying of the club.

Financially speaking, they have frittered away money in the transfer market, mishandled the Reds for over a decade, and piled the team with debt. From beginning to end, the possible selling process has been a complete farce.The only two Glazer siblings who still have a genuine desire to own this team are Joel and Avram, and they seldom ever attend games. After the European Super League fiasco, they promised better communication, but to everyone’s astonishment, nothing happened.

There is no culture or norms established by the owners. Top-level malaise propagates. While fans must be wondering where the light at the end of the tunnel is, it seems to have reached the players, who appear to be without fight.

Former Red Gary Neville said last month on X of the ownership issue, “It would be best if they sold the club with some speed and efficiency and allowed at least the off-the-pitch items to be corrected properly that reset the tone and culture.” “Because football is a volatile sport, on-field performance can be unpredictable and cyclical, but if the owners’ guidance and leadership are impeccable off the field, you have a greater chance of succeeding there.”

Right now, United seems a long way from seeing long-term success. After six years without a title, Erik ten Hag brought back some dignity last season by bringing back Champions League football. However, the first few weeks of this season have shown just how much work remains.

Ten Hag may whine about his ailments, but we can question his hiring and probe the players more. These are all important considerations, and addressing all three of them would lift everyone’s spirits. The most obvious answer, however, is beyond Ten Hag’s control and something he must understand.

The only thing that can initiate a change of direction is a complete sale to remove the Glazers from United and give them a new beginning. Apathy is taking the place of anger, which is a terrible reflection on a football team. There are so many gaps at United that taking over control is the only way to close them.