Manchester United IPO Filing Imminent

British soccer giant Manchester United plans to launch its $300 million IPO within days, despite reports earlier in the week that the franchise was pausing to reconsider.

Manchester United, currently without a trophy after missing out on the English Premier League title to local rivals Manchester City, is the world's most prized sports club with a value of $2.23 billion.

Second is Spanish soccer club Real Madrid at $1.88 billion. The New York Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys are joint third at $1.85 billion, while the Washington Redskins are fifth with $1.56 billion.

Manchester United traded on the London Stock Exchange until 2005 when American owners -- the Glazer family -- took the organization private.

As the club prepares to go public again this August, its 659 million fans worldwide will have the opportunity to own a slice of the team. However, with Chelsea winning the FA Cup and Liverpool the Carling Cup last season, those fans might have to wait a while before success comes their way once more.

The IPO should help, especially as the club looks to reduce its current debt which stands at roughly $663 million. It is impressive that, even with that amount of debt, it still remains the world's most valuable club.

The offering is being led by Jefferies & Company, Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan Chase, and is sure to be popular due to the level of success that the team has enjoyed in the recent past, leading to a huge following around the world.

According to Reuters, the IPO could be filed on Friday.

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