Ten Hag previews Man Utd's Premier League match against Aston Villa
Manchester United’s controversial owners, the Glazers, received final offers to take control of the Red Devils on Friday night. Majority hopefuls Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, along with others proposing to take a minority stake, will now await a conclusive decision over the coming weeks.
It is thought that neither Sheikh Jassim nor Sir Jim decided to meet the Glazers’ £6billion asking price, which they have stood firmly by since the start of the takeover process last November. Both bidding parties are supposedly determined not to be held to ransom in what could be the most expensive sports team acquisition of all time.
The Qatari-led proposal is thought to be around £5bn, putting it ahead of the £4.8bn currently in the works to buy NFL franchise Washington Commanders. Sir Jim, meanwhile, is proposing to take a smaller stake that would retain the Glazers’ involvement at Old Trafford.
With all this to delve into and more, follow Express Sport‘s live updates below…
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Man Utd fans ‘infuriated’
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposal to buy Man Utd reportedly includes allowing Joel and Avram Glazer to retain a 20 per cent stake at Old Trafford.
According to The Daily Mail, United fans are ‘infuriated’ by the prospect of that happening as they seek a clean break from their unpopular owners.
Sir Jim and co may be looking to capitalise on reports that the Glazers are reluctant to turn their back on the club completely.
But supporters aren’t happy, and another protest is being prepared before their game against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Sheikh Jassim’s stance on Ratcliffe bid
Sheikh Jassim is convinced that his proposal to buy Manchester United is by far the best, according to Sky Sports, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe also in the running to acquire a majority stake.
“People close to the Sheikh have been telling me they’re convinced this is the best bid,” explained presenter Kaveh Solhekol. “They think there’s not one that comes close to this.”
The Qatari-led proposal may be on course to winning fans over due to the promise of wiping the club’s debt and investing heavily in infrastructure.
Sheikh Jassim and co will hope that the Glazers consider that when making their final decision, with the Qataris supposedly buoyed by their belief that Ratcliffe’s offer is fundamentally worse than their own.
Morning!
Good morning and welcome to Express Sport‘s rolling coverage of the Manchester United takeover process.
The deadline for final bids has now come and gone, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, along with those proposing to take a minority stake, awaiting a final decision from the Glazers.
Stay tuned right here throughout the day…
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