MALCOLM GLAZER, the American billionaire owner of Manchester United, was being nursed by family at his home in Florida last night on being released from hospital after suffering a stroke on Easter Sunday.

The reclusive 78-year-old, whose £790 million takeover of United last summer provoked widespread controversy, was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic, in Florida, nine days ago after apparently collapsing with severe chest pains.

Doctors agreed that it was safe for him to return to his home in Palm Beach, Tampa, yesterday after showing significant signs of improvement, but a statement released through United’s official website on behalf of his son, Joel, confirmed that Glazer is suffering from impaired speech and a lack of mobility in his right arm and leg.

“On behalf of the entire Glazer family, I want to thank everyone at the Cleveland Clinic for their outstanding care,” Joel Glazer said. “My father’s spirits are high and doctors expect his condition to improve with rehabilitation.”

Given that Glazer has effectively entrusted the handling of United to Joel and his two other sons, Avi and Bryan, the day-to-day running of the club is likely to remain unaffected, but news of his illness will have given rise to concern at Old Trafford, not to mention the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the American football franchise owned by the sports tycoon.

Whether the outrage and subsequent ill-feeling that greeted the takeover has had any bearing on Glazer’s health is difficult to assess, given that he is yet to attend a United match, although the fact that over the past week no indication was given that Glazer was ill, let alone in hospital, will only have heightened the perceived secretive nature of his family.

A source close to the Glazer camp confirmed that he had spoken to Joel, who was keen to emphasise that his father’s life was not in any danger.

“The key thing is that Malcolm has left hospital after only eight days,” the source said. “His speech and mobility have been impaired, but mentally he is 100 per cent alert and his life is not in danger. As far as Manchester United is concerned, it is business as usual.”

While the Glazer family has enjoyed a thaw in its relations with United’s supporters in recent months, a rise in ticket prices earlier this month notwithstanding, there were some predictably cruel and tasteless taunts and gibes surfacing on internet chat rooms last night.

Regardless of their opinion of Glazer, most United fans will, at the very least, be surprised by the news.

Glazer’s decision to buy out United was made partly with his sons in mind and, so far at least, they are said to be open to the idea of restructuring the club’s enormous debt as they look to invest in the squad.

That, of course, will be put to the test this summer when Sir Alex Ferguson will ask the board of directors to fund at least one significant transfer, probably Mahamadou Diarra, the £25 million-rated Lyons midfield player.

“The Glazers’ business plan clearly allows for investment in the product, the team,” David Gill, the United chief executive, said recently. “They share the vision and want to be the best football club in the world.”

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