When will Jim Ratcliffe complete his minority takeover of Man Utd?

Suraj Radia

• 18 Oct 2023 11:54 BST
• 4 min read

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to be close a deal with the Glazer family to become a 25% owner in Manchester United, however talks are not expected to be finalised this week, with the formalities still being thrashed out.

News broke over the weekend that Ratcliffe’s offer of around £1.4 billion for a 25% stake in United was set to be approved after Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim saw his proposal for a total buyout rejected by the Glazers.

There was initial optimism that Ratcliffe would be ratified in his role as soon as this Thursday, with United’s board having a pre-existing board meeting then, but multiple reports have now suggested there has been a delay in finalising the details of the bid.

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The Telegraph states that a deal is ‘within sight’ over the next two weeks but there are still discussions to be had, with Ratcliffe set to be granted control over United’s footballing operations as part of the investment.

There are also some figures who reportedly remain sceptical that Sheikh Jassim has entirely withdrawn from the process despite his insistence on that matter, having informed the Glazers of his decision prior to Ratcliffe’s breakthrough.

Consequently, a formal vote at Thursday’s meeting is doubtful despite Ratcliffe’s desire to get a deal concluded promptly in order to begin preparations for the January transfer window.

When could a deal be announced by United?

The Athletic also believe that a deal is ‘unlikely’ to be in place for Thursday’s meeting simply due to the technicalities of the deal, such as the share allocation and potential legal framework ahead of Ratcliffe taking control of sporting decisions.

A deal is also complicated by Ratcliffe’s desire to turn any deal into a pathway to a full takeover down the line, which would require more negotiations to formalise any staggered buyout.

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United will be required to make a statement to the New York Stock Exchange upon any agreement of a deal, so an announcement will be imminent once a deal has been voted upon.

However, neither party will look to rush into a deal despite the Glazers having hoped for a resolution towards their ownership since the end of last season after announcing their search for external investment in November last year.

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