Man U's former players to the rescue?

LONDON - Before fans of struggling football club Manchester United get their hopes up, remember that this report comes from The Sun, the British tabloid that has scored scoops but also invented the odd story.

It claims that members of the club's famous "Class of '92", including David Beckham, are looking at joining a consortium to take over Manchester United and presumably show manager David Moyes the door.

Manchester United is owned by the Glazers, an American family that has piled huge debts on the club, but also insisted that they intend to hold on to it for the long run.

The Sun claims that the Class of '92 will front a bid while the bulk of the money will come from the Middle East or "be backed by Arab oil cash", as the newspaper colourfully puts it.

The bid for the club, which until recently was the world's wealthiest, is said to be in the range of £2 billion (S$4.2 billion), the report says.

The club, so used to winning trophies, stand little chance of silverware this year and have suffered a string of painful defeats. Many fans are on the verge of rebelling against Moyes.

Beckham, along with Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt, who became cult heroes after starting their club career in 1992, are now rumoured to be riding to the rescue.

Scholes and Gary Neville, speaking as TV pundits, tore into the performance of their former club after its dismal 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

In the wake of The Sun's story, their stinging assessment has taken on a fresh significance.

Scholes said that the club had lost its winning mentality and never-say-die spirit, while Neville said it was suffering an identity crisis despite spending £80 million since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

Other British newspapers have picked up The Sun's report while staying silent on whether they believe it is true.

Meanwhile, another report doing the rounds is that despite backing Moyes in public, the Glazers will cut their losses and show him the door if the club's performances do not pick up significantly.

This is not the first time someone is trying to take over the club from the Glazers. Investors dubbed the Red Knights tried to lead a buyout in 2010 but were unable to meet the asking price.

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