Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim makes DECISIVE decision

Jacque Talbot

7 Jun 2023 13:22 BST
3 min read

The Qatari Sheikh has submitted a final bid to buy Manchester United.

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He has made the offer and set a deadline of Friday, with it thought that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the favourite.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani has submitted the offer directly to the club’s owners, the Glazer family, and Raine Group, reports the Daily Mail. It is thought that this will be the final bid from the Qatari group.

It is for total control of the club as well as a significant further sum for investment on infrastructure and recruitment.

Despite the deadline of April 28, no preferred bidder has been named. Indeed, Ratcliffe, had been thought to be edging ahead in the process, but all that could change with his final offer from his rival.

The bid still does not meet Glazer’s valuation of £6billion. Ratcliffe’s offer is for a majority of the club and for the Glazers to remain involved for the foreseeable.

© ProShots - Ratcliffe is thought to be preferred bidder

Summer window

There has been a growing frustration at how long the process is taking - and fears that it may have even started to impede on the summer window business that Erik ten Hag wants to undertake.

It is still not clear how much Ten Hag will have available to him ahead of the next campaign.

The saga has dragged on ever since the Glazers announced they were open to selling the club back in November.

As well as other parties, Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim emerged as the frontrunners.

Unpopular co-owner Avram Glazer was in attendance at last weekend's FA Cup final, where Man Utd were beaten 2-1 by arch-rivals Manchester City at Wembley. He was at the League Cup final too, which Man Utd won, beating Newcastle 2-0 on the day to secure Ten Hag’s first piece of silverware.