Piers Morgan has mocked Manchester United following reports that the club is in talks with Disney over a multi-million dollar documentary deal that will focus on their historic success under Sir Alex Ferguson.
According The AthleticUnited is looking to reach a deal with the US streaming giants, but the proposed documentaries would not include coverage of its current plight.
Instead, he would remember Ferguson’s 26-year stay at Old Trafford, in which the club won 13 league titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.
And Arsenal fan Morgan joked about X: ‘Mickey Mouse’s club – official’ in response to the news.
His inquiry into the Red Devils appears to stem from his reluctance to commission a documentary focusing on their struggles since Ferguson retired in 2013.
Piers Morgan has branded Man United a ‘Mickey Mouse club’ following reports they are in talks with Disney over a documentary deal to look back on their glory days.
United are in talks with Disney over a documentary deal that would focus on their success under Sir Alex Ferguson rather than their current plight.
United won 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League trophies under Ferguson at the helm
United have failed to win a league title in the last 11 years and have endured a miserable campaign with Erik ten Hag in charge this year.
They currently sit seventh in the Premier League and were knocked out of Europe before Christmas, although they have booked their place in a second successive FA Cup final after beating Coventry on penalties in Sunday’s epic semi-final at Wembley.
Talks are understood to have been ongoing for two years between United and the US streaming giants, with a deal yet to be agreed as the Red Devils wait for better terms.
United were offered better terms when discussions began and are looking to maximize revenue from a potential deal as they aim to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules.
Erik ten Hag was unable to make any signings in January due to United’s tight budget, and the club are now looking to diversify their revenue streams under new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The proposed documentaries would include considerable time for interviews with Ferguson, who still regularly attends United matches despite leaving the dugout 11 years ago.
Club ambassadors such as Bryan Robson and Peter Schmeichel are also expected to give their opinion if the documentary deal is given the green light.
The Disney documentaries could follow a one-off Amazon documentary about United’s Treble-winning season of 1998-99, which will air later this year to mark the 25th anniversary of the achievement.
A trailer was released earlier this month to give a preview of what to expect, with David Beckham admitting he was worried he might not be able to play for England again after being sent off at the 1998 World Cup for kicking Argentina’s Diego Simeone, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confessed he was feeling ill before his Champions League heroics at Camp Nou.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants Man United to diversify its revenue streams.
Disney’s Welcome to Wrexham series has been a big hit with fans in recent seasons.
Disney’s Welcome to Wrexham series, which follows the success of the Welsh club owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has been a huge hit with fans.
Reaching a deal would also likely be a big blow to the streaming giants.
Prior to its documentary deal with Amazon, United had steered clear of being followed by cameras behind the scenes.
But they could now emulate other top clubs, including Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham and Juventus, who have all had documentaries commissioned by Amazon in recent seasons.
However, United documentaries would be different, looking back at their glory days rather than giving an up-to-date account of how the club is run behind the scenes.