It's been more than seven months since Manchester United owners the Glazers announced plans to 'explore strategic alternatives' for investment, paving the way for a protracted takeover process which still seems some way from completion.
The announcement from the current owners was met with widespread jubilation, following a controversial 18-year stint in charge, but there has been no communication from the board since. Developments have either come from the media or prospective new owners.
Boyhood United fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the first to publicly announce his interest in a takeover, detailing his plans to 'put the Manchester back into Manchester United' and focus on Champions League success.
His statement in February read: "Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have submitted a bid for majority ownership of Manchester United Football Club. We would see our role as the long-term custodians of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.
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"We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again. We also recognise that football governance in this country is at a crossroads. We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership.
"We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North-West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League."
Ratcliffe's bid is for majority ownership, rather than the outright buyout proposed by his main rival Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani. Having originally put forward a bid to buy out the Glazers, the INEOS founder reportedly then proposed an offer that would see them retain a minority share.
That was intended to show that Ratcliffe was open to exploring options with the American family, as opposed to Sheikh Jassim's 100 per cent buyout, however, it did not go down well with United supporters who insist on a full sale and complete exit from their current owners.
What does set Ratcliffe apart from Sheikh Jassim is his proven track record of owning a football club. Currently in charge of French side Nice, the 70-year-old has experience of appointing senior figures within a club and overseeing its running. He would be expected to charge right-hand man Sir David Brailsford with overhauling United's sporting organisation.
Brailsford first became famous for his involvement in the success with Team GB cycling at the Olympics, transforming the team from winning two gold medals at Athens 2004 to eight at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He then oversaw Tour De France wins for Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
Currently Director of Sport at INEOS, he would be expected to maintain his core principle of 'marginal gains' if he undertakes a role at United: that is to make tiny and achievable improvements in multiple areas.
"The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by one per cent, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together," Brailsford said during his time with Team GB cycling.
Reports in March suggested Brailsford had already been scoping out elite-level options in recruitment, analysis, sports science and training ground infrastructure, having identified them as areas United have fallen short in over the years. He was pictured leaving Old Trafford with Sir Jim in March following meetings with club chiefs about the proposed takeover.
Ratcliffe and his team are still awaiting a decision, however, with a preferred bidder yet to be picked by the Glazers. Should the INEOS founder be successful, he will then have to go through the Premier League's owners' and directors' test before officially taking charge - a process that could take several weeks.
