After months of uncertainty and speculation, we're finally edging closer to a conclusion in the Manchester United takeover saga.
The third and final deadline for bids passed on Friday night, and now the likes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will have to wait to discover whether or not they have been successful in acquiring the club from the Glazer family.
Although the former has been considered as the favourite throughout the process, Ineos chief Ratcliffe is now seemingly in pole position with reports claiming that the lifelong Manchester United fan has outbid Sheikh Jassim and would even be open to allowing Avram and Joel Glazer the opportunity to retain a small stake in the club.
Unsurprisingly, such a development has not gone down well with fans, who staged a protest ahead of Sunday's slender 1-0 win over Aston Villa. Thousands marched against the Glazers before the match and made it clear that, in their eyes, nothing less than a full sale of the club is acceptable.
Hundreds of fans also shunned the start of the match and refused to take their seats for the first 18 minutes of the match: one minute for every year that the Glazers have been at the helm since finalising their leveraged buyout of the club.
And Erik ten Hag appeared to give his own subtle show of support to the protesting Old Trafford faithful by holding up a retro green and yellow scarf as he left the pitch following the final whistle.
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The Dutchman downplayed the impact of the fans protests on his team after the match. Ten Hag said: "We really felt that the fans were behind us [today]. So we have to focus to be successful because that is what the fans expect and they can expect, and they have to rely on us so we will focus on that.
"I’m sure when we give performances like we do all season the fans are behind us. There’s a lot of energy, there’s a really strong bond between the fans and the players."
Raine Group, the US bank overseeing the process for the Glazer family, are expected to be in a position where they can announce a preferred bidder imminently.
Ratcliffe is keen to acquire the Glazers' controlling 69 per cent stake in the club but has also submitted a proposal which would allow Avram and Joel - two of the siblings who are conflicted over selling up and keen to stay on - to retain a small amount of shares.
