Sheikh Jassim camp left 'bemused' by suggestions about new offer on Man Utd takeover
Manchester United is reportedly set to be acquired by either Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe or Qatar's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamed Al Thani. The final bids for the football club were submitted before the 10pm deadline on Friday, following a six-month bidding process. While Jassim had been the favourite to acquire the club for the majority of the process, it has emerged that Ineos was the only bidder to have valued the club above £5bn. Ineos hopes to purchase 69% of the Glazers' shares and is keen on taking a controlling stake while allowing Joel and Avram Glazer to remain as minority shareholders. Jassim, on the other hand, is hoping to take over 100% of the club.
Sources close to Jassim's camp have expressed confusion at reports that Ineos valued the club higher. They said that their offer exceeds the £5bn plus valuation of the club despite suggestions otherwise. The Telegraph reported that additional funding for the redevelopment of Old Trafford and the club’s training ground topped the bid, and that they have met a similar price to Ineos. However, the Daily Mail claims that those with knowledge of the process say that this is not the case and that the Ineos offer values the club higher.
Earlier this month, Manchester United’s Supporters Trust called for an end to the takeover impasse. They urged the majority owners to move ahead with the process with speed so that any period of uncertainty was as short as possible. They also expressed concern that the news of these delays and further prolonged uncertainty may affect the vital summer transfer window, as well as the stadium redevelopment.
The Glazers, who currently own the club, are expected to come to a decision in the coming days. The successful bidder will take over one of the world’s most valuable sports franchises, which has a global following of over 1.1 billion fans. Manchester United has a rich history, having won a record 20 top-flight English titles and three European Cups. They are currently managed by Erik Ten Hag, who has made great progress in his first season. However, the future of the club remains unclear, and fans are eagerly awaiting news on the ownership change.
blogpay
Total Comments: 0