The richest man in the world has a habit of posting provocative statements on Twitter for fun, and Musk did so again when he told his over 103 million followers:
The billionaire Tesla and SpaceX CEO responded to another of his tweets, commenting on his support for both of America’s two major political parties.
The 51-year-old, who is embroiled in a lawsuit over Twitter’s takeover, was later asked on the platform if he was serious about owning Manchester United.
“No, this is a running joke on Twitter. I’m not buying a sports team,” he said after his first tweet garnered nearly 500,000 likes in a matter of hours. Musk replied.
“But if it was a team, it would be Man United. They were my favorite team when I was a kid.”
One of the biggest clubs in world football, but suffering from a prolonged slump, Manchester United is owned by the Glazer family. They have been targeted by angry fans.
There was no immediate response to Musk’s tweet from United or its owners.
The team’s shares, which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, have been down since the beginning of the year, but leveled off on Tuesday, with a market capitalization of $2.1 billion.
Jokes aside, Musk’s tweets could get you in trouble with US regulators.
The Glazers have been the target of fan outrage after the team’s dramatic downfall.
The American also owns the Florida NFL franchise, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
United fans have protested the team’s senior management over poor performances in recent years and their involvement in plans to start a new ‘superleague’ for Europe’s richest team.
The Red Devils finished sixth in the English Premier League last season.
United have had a poor start to the season under new manager Eric ten Hag and are bottom of the table after two consecutive defeats.
A new protest against the Glazers is planned ahead of United’s next match at home to fierce rivals Liverpool on 22 August.
Musk, who recently sold $7 billion worth of Tesla stock, is embarking on a major legal battle in Delaware over his aborted bid to buy Twitter.
