Ex-footballer who was richer than David Beckham agreed to buy Man Utd but wife stopped deal

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Dave Whelan was worth more than former Manchester United star David Beckham during the peak of his ownership at Wigan Athletic . And, had he proceeded with his plans to purchase the Red Devils, his fortune could have climbed even further.

Whelan, who held the position of chairman and owner of the current League One side for two decades, steered them through an eight-year spell in the Premier League , which included a memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City in 2013.

While the 89-year-old is no longer involved in the sport he loves, Whelan remains a significant figure of wealth in British sport. In 2011, when Beckham was playing for LA Galaxy, Whelan was officially recognised as the wealthiest Brit still involved in football, eclipsing the former England captain.

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After his playing career with Blackburn Rovers and Crewe Alexandra came to an end, he made his fortune by establishing his own chain of shops, drawing on his market trading experience. According to the Sunday Times Sport Rich List, Whelan's net worth stood at a gargantuan £190million, which was considerably higher than Beckham's estimated £135m at the time.

Whelan's net worth is now estimated at over £162m, a reflection of his business acumen given that he's not as immersed in the sporting world as before. Beckham, meanwhile, has raced ahead, boasting an impressive fortune believed to be worth between £500m and £700m .

Yet, former JJB Sports owner Whelan could have been heading towards billionaire territory had he made a relatively modest investment in the 1980s. Following talks with Old Trafford's senior figures, reports emerged that Whelan had reached a basic agreement with United official Martin Edwards about purchasing the club during that period.

Looking back on what could have been, the businessman said: "I made the wrong decision in regards to Manchester United , because it is interesting to see what has happened since.

"The purchase of Manchester United was all sorted with Martin Edwards and was going to be sealed within 28 days."

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However, when Whelan told his wife of the prospective deal, her concerns regarding his success with JJB Sports influenced his decision. He said: "Later I went home and said to my wife Patricia that I'd pulled off a good deal to buy Manchester United - £11.5m was a lot of money then. She said 'what?'

"I was in JJB and expanding so she said, 'do you think all the people in London, Liverpool , Birmingham will come and shop at your stores when you own Manchester United – the greatest enemy the teams they support have?'"

Whelan continued: "I said 'you might have a point!' So instead I went back to Martin Edwards and Manchester United and said the deal is done but told him that if he floated Manchester United on the stock market, he would get a lot more than £11.5m."

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Currently, the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe share ownership of United following Ratcliffe's acquisition of a 25% stake in February 2024 , with his INEOS group assuming control of football operations.

However, had Whelan taken the gamble in the 1980s and bought the club for a mere £11.5m - equivalent to roughly £30m-40m in today's money - the trajectory of both Whelan and Manchester United could have been drastically different.