What happens when the Man Utd takeover goes through?

Tom Hancock

• 30 Jun 2023 09:46 BST
• 3 min read

It’s been almost eight months since the Glazers put Manchester United on the market – and still the saga rolls on…

Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani appears to have pulled away from Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the race to take over at Old Trafford – but, as yet, the Glazer family have not accepted an offer for the club.

These are uncertain times, then, but what does the current off-field situation mean for Man Utd ahead of next season – as they prepare for their return to the Champions League and look to build on a solid first campaign under Erik ten Hag?

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Really, the state of play is quite simple: even if a takeover were to be completed today, it would realistically be too late for it to have any major impact on United’s summer transfer business.

That would be especially true if reports of an eight-week period of due diligence to be carried out by the prospective new owners are to be believed, as the club wouldn’t exactly have full freedom to go wild on new signings.

The new Premier League season gets underway on August 12; many potential Man Utd targets have already moved elsewhere; and the closer the end of the transfer window gets, the less willing top clubs are going to be to sell their top assets.

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Patience needed

Ultimately, United probably won’t be able to assemble a squad capable of challenging for the title next term – as they may have been able to do had a takeover gone through a few months ago, say.

There is money to be spent – as evidenced by the agreement of a £55m deal to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea – but not nearly as much as there surely would be after a Qatari buyout.

Man Utd shouldn’t go backwards in 2023/24 – but fans might have to wait a while longer to see their team reach the levels to which they truly aspire.