David Beckham has already opened up on the prospect of returning to Manchester United as part of the club's ownership structure

Sir David Beckham has previously admitted he would "love" to have a role in running Manchester United, amid calls for the club legend to return to Old Trafford as an owner.

The former England captain remains a hugely popular figure among United supporters and has been tipped for an ownership role by former team-mate Paul Scholes. Beckham has enjoyed considerable success as co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, which he helped establish in 2018.

Since then, the club have moved into a state-of-the-art stadium and attracted some of the biggest names in world football, including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and former United midfielder Casemiro.

Asked whether Beckham and his consortium would be a good fit at United on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, Scholes said: "I don't see why not. If they've got the wealth to do it, he can if he wants to do it, more importantly. Then, knowing David as we do, he'd probably just sit in the background anyway."

He's also been backed by former Premier League striker Djibril Cisse should INEOS opt to offload their stake in the club. "Could David Beckham replace the Glazers and INEOS at Manchester United? Why not?" ex-Liverpool star Cisse said to Mr Gamble. "He's doing a good job at Inter Miami.

"He has an aura, he has a name, he's David Beckham, and he carries real weight in world football. So yes, why not?"

Beckham was linked with a potential return to United in 2025 as part of a separate consortium based in the United Arab Emirates. He was reportedly approached about becoming an ambassador for a proposed £5billion takeover.

While a takeover bid was never launched, Beckham has previously refused to rule out a return to his boyhood club, admitting that being involved in its day-to-day running would "mean the world" to him.

Make sure you never miss the latest Manchester United news and opinion by making Manchester Evening News one of your Google preferred sources.

"I have a lot going on here at the moment and my focus has purely been on Miami and everything that goes on in my business," the 51-year-old said in 2023. "But I haven't been approached and I suppose any involvement with Manchester United would mean the world to me, going forward.

"But who knows? We'll see what happens in the next few weeks or months. Hopefully, a decision gets made and if I'm involved in any way... If not, I'll be a United fan and just do what all the other fans are doing - turn up and watch our team."

Beckham has also been outspoken about his dissatisfaction with United's ownership under the Glazer family. Before Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a minority stake in 2024, the former midfielder insisted changes were needed at the top and suggested the Americans should leave.

"I think it's purely because the fans want it," he said. "Once you lose the fans, especially at a club like Manchester United, it's hard to get them back.

"Obviously, [the Glazers] have achieved a lot, and financially, the fact that we're even talking about the numbers of what Manchester United will sell for shows the success they've had. But there needs to be change. We've all seen that, we all know that."

He also called for significant investment in the club, from its infrastructure to the playing squad, before plans for a new Old Trafford stadium were unveiled.

He added: "Whoever is running your club, you want them to be passionate, be involved, make the right decisions, bring in the right players and invest in the club.

"Because the club does need investment, whether it's the training facility, stadium, on the field, these kinds of big things need to be made and changes do need to happen, especially when you see the likes of Man City and what they're doing."

The Glazers, who have been in charge at United since 2005, first put the club up for sale in 2022, with Ratcliffe and his INEOS group completing the purchase of a 27.7 per cent stake in early 2024. That holding has since increased to almost 29 per cent, with the British billionaire assuming control of the club's football operations as part of the agreement.

Ratcliffe has since overseen sweeping changes behind the scenes, with a major overhaul of United's recruitment, contract strategy and wider football operations.

On the pitch, however, progress has been far less convincing. United finished third in the Premier League last season but have spent much of Ratcliffe's tenure struggling towards the wrong end of the table, first under Ruben Amorim and now Michael Carrick.

They currently sit 17th after winning just one of their opening nine league matches, leaving Carrick under increasing pressure. Sunday's meeting with Aston Villa could prove pivotal, with Ratcliffe and other senior figures expected to review the manager's position when the international break begins next week.

Supporters remain divided over Ratcliffe's stewardship, and Beckham's success in building Inter Miami has inevitably fuelled suggestions that he could offer an alternative.

For a fanbase still waiting for signs of a brighter future, the prospect of one of their most celebrated former players having a say in how the club is run is an appealing one.