Man Utd takeover: Timescale REVEALED for preferred bidder following Sheikh Jassim's bid

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
• 3 min read

The Manchester United takeover is expected to drag into next week following the third bids from Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

The process is in danger of impacting the summer transfer window, with the Glazers setting three rounds of bids so far.

Journalist Ben Jacobs reported that at this point there is no preferred bidder, but that could change next week. The CBS reporter states that those close to Ratcliffe’s Ineso group are ‘cautiously optimistic’ but they are still yet to hear anything back from the Glazers about being granted a period of exclusivity.

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It comes after the news that Jassim 'may submit 11th-hour fourth bid' to secure the club.

The Times report that they may launch a last-gasp 11th-hour fourth bid to snub Ineos in the takeover race.

Process drags on

So far, the two rival bidders have submitted their proposals to the Glazers - with the Qatari group bidding for a 100 per cent stake, while Ratcliffe has offered 50 per cent, allowing for the Glazers to keep a proportion of the side. The final bid from Qatar was thought to be around £5 billion, but the Glazers value Man Utd more like £6b.

Ratcliffe is proposing a partial purchase and is consequently thought to be leading the race.

But The Times report that the prospect of a fourth blockbuster bid from Qatar is a possibility that cannot be dismissed. Other reports from France's RMC Sport say that the Qatar group have not given up hope in their pursuit of Man Utd, even if they are still some £1bn short of the Glazer’s asking price.

Meanwhile, Ratcliffe's final offer could reach up to £6bn over a period of time, with it even thought that the proposal could see the Glazers leave entirely in a couple of years.