MANCHESTER UNITED chief executive David Gill yesterday told the Red Knights group of wealthy fans they are wasting their time trying to buy the club.

Gill insisted the Glazer family do not want to sell the club, said they are running it “in the right way”, defended the owners’ £709m total debt and questioned the practicality of the Red Knights’ plans for a takeover.

He also branded merchant banker Keith Harris, a key member of the group who has called for a fan boycott of United matches, as a “publicity seeker” and was scathing about his track record in football takeovers.

Gill told the Soccerex conference in Manchester: “The owners are very long-term owners and have shown that with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which they bought back in 1994-5. They are not sellers.

“That’s not saying people like these Red Knights can’t come forward and put a plan to them. But the Glazers have given no indication to me that they want to sell and in that case they cannot buy the asset – it’s not for sale.

“The Glazers...are running the club in the right way.”

Gill accepted that some of those involved in Red Knights were credible, but was scathing about Harris, who has been involved in a number of takeover bids of top-flight clubs.

He said: “We are aware of Jim O’Neill (Goldman Sachs economic advisor) in that he was on our board before the takeover, Mark Rawlinson was our advisor at Freshfields (law firm).

“Keith Harris will go anywhere there is publicity around, we know that and we accept that, that’s his modus operandi, but if you look at his track record in football, I don’t think it’s anything to write home about.

“These are credible people and have every right to do what they think is in the interest of the club.

“But that’s not going to take them anywhere if the Glazers don’t want to sell, and they have no wish to sell and from our perspective they are running the club in the right way.”

He also defended the Glazers’ lack of attendance at United matches and insisted the debts – £507m in bonds with the Glazers’ personal PIK debts of £202m – are serviceable.

Gill said: “They don’t come to many games, but they are very passionate about the club, they do understand what’s required to run a successful sports team, that you have to invest in the product, on the pitch, in the training ground and in the stadium, they watch every match on TV and I think they have been supportive.