April 4 – Manchester United will reportedly accept a third round of bids from prospective buyers by the end of this month as speculation intensifies into who the new owners will be.
According to media reports, there are as many as seven investment parties in the mix that have all been contacted by the Raine Group, the investment bank running the process, regarding their initial bids.
The two leading bidders, Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are reported to have submitted world record offers of around £5 billion in the second round, though the Glazer family still value the club at £6 billion.
It was announced in November that the American owners, who bought the club for £790 million in 2005, were exploring ‘strategic alternatives’ which could include a full sale.
Although a number of different parties have expressed an interest in the 13-time Premier League winners, only Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim appear keen on completing a full takeover. Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus also wants to take over in a unique shared deal with the fans.
Sheikh Jassim is the son of a former Qatari prime minister and the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank. He insists he is a lifelong fan and that his interest is a private initiative through his Nine Two Foundation and not connected to the Qatari state.
However, United fans may be more open to the idea of their club being taken over by INEOS chief Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man and is also a lifelong fan.
Ratcliffe is currently the owner of French club Nice and also launched a bid to buy Chelsea when Roman Abramovich relinquished control in 2022.
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