Man Utd takeover 'imminent as Glazers make decision
Manchester United takeover is ‘imminent as the Glazers make a decision between Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’
- Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe are both battling it out to take over at Old Trafford
- Ratcliffe’s offer is understood to be for around a 60 per cent stake in United
- But Sheikh Jassim is instead bidding for full control of the Premier League giants
Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani has come out on top in the race to buy Manchester United, according to reports in the country.
Mail Sport reported over the weekend that both bidders in the battle for United – Sheikh Jassim and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe – were finalising their offers ahead of an expected decision on exclusivity later this week.
At one stage Ratcliffe’s Ineos company appeared to be out in front, yet those acting on behalf of Sheikh Jassim have been more optimistic about their chances following the dramatic submission of an improved offer last week.
And according Qatari newspaper Al-Watan, via The Mirror – an outlet owned by his father and the country’s former Prime Minister Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani – Sheikh Jassim has prevailed in his bidding war with Ratcliffe.
Al-Watan posted on Twitter on Monday night that Sheikh Jassim’s takeover bid has been a ‘success’ and that an ‘announcement of the deal [will be] soon’.
Sheikh Jassim has reportedly come out on top in the race to buy Manchester United
Sir Jim Ratcliffe was rivalling Sheikh Jassim for majority control of the Old Trafford club
United have been on the market ever since the Glazers (pictured) announced they were open to a potential takeover back in November
Sheikh Jassim’s bid – understood to be worth around £5billion – is for total control of United, while Ratcliffe’s Ineos is for around 60 per cent of the club.
His offer comes with a proposal that would allow United’s current unpopular owners the Glazers to remain for a set time period ahead of a sourced buyout.
Yet if Al-Watan’s claim indeed holds up, Ratcliffe will have come up short in his effort to purchase United, the club he has supported all his life.
United’s takeover saga is now reaching its conclusion after what has been a long-winded seven months of speculation.
The Glazers first announced they were open to a sale all the way back in November, on the same night they confirmed Cristiano Ronaldo had left via mutual consent.
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