The relationship between Manchester United fans and their owners, the Florida-based Glazer family, have often been fractious with supporter-enmity reaching a peak during the ill-fated European Super League (ESL) affair.
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Now, however, the Glazers have said they are in advanced talks to to create a fans' share scheme.
United co-chairman Joel Glazer proposed a scheme in June to enable fans to build an ownership stake in the Premier League club.
This came in the wake of the fresh wave of protests against the ownership of the Old Trafford outfit following the club's involvement in the doomed ESL project.
Glazer said at a fans' forum that he hoped the proposal would "reset the relationship" with supporters and "strengthen the club as a whole".
Updating on the matter, the club have revealed discussions with the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) have been under way for "several months" but no indication of a target date for their conclusion has been given.
A club statement read: "We are in advanced talks with MUST about a fans' share scheme which would open a path for fans to build, over time, a meaningful ownership stake in Manchester United.
"This would give fans a strong collective voice within our ownership structure and help cement a new spirit of long-term partnership between fans and the club."
It is intended that a new class of shares will be created carrying the same voting rights as those of the Glazer family, whose controversial ownership of the club began in 2005.
The statement added there are still legal complexities to be worked through but that a fans' advisory board, intended to improve communication between supporters and club, was "close to launch".
Australian Associated Press
