Manchester City owners Abu Dhabi Utd have placed a multi-billion bid for rivals Manchester United.
The audacious move has been predicted for some time but the timing of the move is inflammatory.
The Blues are currently sharing second place with Utd but, if their bid is successful, Manchester United will cease to exist.
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes said: "Manchester United are a club with a long and illustrious history and have the respect of millions of fans worldwide.
"Their manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is probably the greatest football manager of all time.
"That's why we plan to buy the club and then wind it up."
Emmanual Adebayor, out for three games after taunting Arsenal fans last weekend, is to oversee the bid.
On hearing the news he ran all the way from the City Of Manchester stadium to Old Trafford in under four minutes, before sliding to his knees in front of the Utd fans.
Adebayor said: "Utd have failed to show me respect so I got caught up in the emotion. Everybody hates me, but I am seriously a nice guy."
