American billionaire Malcolm Glazer today told Manchester United he had no intention of making a takeover bid for the Premiership champions.

The announcement from Mr Glazer, who owns former Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, came as the club unveiled a 32% rise in half-year profits to £26.8 million.

The club described the first six months of its financial year as an ''extraordinary period'', adding that the Manchester United brand had gone from strength to strength.