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Manchester United fan group Rainbow Devils expressed “deep concern” about the club’s potential next owners on the day takeover bids were due to be lodged.
Qatari interest in United has been strong and reports have positioned a bid team from the Middle East country as the front-runner to buy out the Glazer family, who have been majority owners since 2005.
There has also been speculation of a possible offer from Saudi Arabia, while British billionaire and United fan Jim Ratcliffe may also look to acquire the club.
Tesla and Twitter magnate Elon Musk has been touted as another possible bidder, with a deadline of 22:00 GMT on Friday having been set for offers to be made.
The Rainbow Devils group, which was founded in 2019, did not specify which of the potential bidders it was concerned by, but said new owners must guarantee to be accommodating to those from all walks of life.
In a statement on Twitter, it said: “Rainbow Devils believe any bidder seeking to buy Manchester United must commit to making football a sport for everyone, including LGBTQ+ supporters, players and staff.
“We therefore have deep concern over some of the bids that are being made. We are watching the current process closely with this in mind.”
United fans are anxious to see the back of the Glazer ownership era, and some have indicated they would have few reservations about who comes in to replace the Americans.
That was reflected in a stream of confrontational and dismissive quote-tweet replies to the Rainbow Devils’ message, although some welcomed the group’s stance.
Qatar and Saudi Arabia have faced criticism over their human rights records, particularly regarding attitudes towards and treatment of women and LGBTQ people.
French giants Paris Saint-Germain have been owned by Qatari investors since 2011, while Newcastle United were bought out by a Saudi-led consortium in October 2021.
