'I'm buying Manchester United', says Elon Musk on Twitter, which he didn't buy

The dust on the Twitter non-deal is yet to settle, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk had the internet and, to a large extent, the corporate world, in a tizzy again with a loaded tweet early Wednesday morning. 

“To be clear, I support the left half of the Republican Party and the right half of the Democratic Party!” said Musk on Twitter — the social media platform that he recently placed a $44 billion bid for only to back out later. “Also, I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome,” he said in the same thread.

Also, I’m buying Manchester United ur welcome

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 17, 2022

If anyone else had casually remarked on Twitter that they were considering buying the English football club Manchester United Plc, nobody would have taken them seriously. But, since this is how Musk typically announces his intent to the world, the tweet hit the headlines in no time at all.

There was much mirth over what appeared to be a joke. There were also some strong words of caution, with Musk’s followers advising him against the deal. The Silicon Valley honco, however, kept mum after that cryptic tweet.

Man U fans have been spewing anger on the American Glazer family, which runs the football club, due its performance of late. It is at the bottom of the Premier League at present, after a 4-0 thrashing by Brentford in an away game.

The Glazers had bought the club for around $955 million in 2005. As on August 16, its market capitalisation stood at $2.08 billion.

Update: Musk clarifies tweet

A few hours after his initial tweet raised the storm, Musk tweeted a clarification, saying he had no intention to buy Man U, after all.

No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 17, 2022

“No, this is a long-running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying any sports teams,” he said. To a good measure, he added: “Although, if it were any team, it would be Man U. They were my fav team as a kid.”