At first, the deadline was Easter. Then it was the end of the season. Some Manchester United fans will just be happy if a takeover of the club ever comes to fruition.
It has been seven months since the club was put up for sale, and still there is an element of uncertainty surrounding it and when, if ever, it will actually come to a conclusion.
With so much uncertainty still surrounding the process, it is easy to see why fans are getting agitated. False social media reports were pushed by a respected Qatari media outlet earlier this week, and the sense of tribalism among the fanbase grows wider the longer it drags on.
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The supporters deserve some sort of update. They deserve the clarity that Joel Glazer promised them just two years ago.
The executive co-chairman released a statement in May 2021 promising that the family would embark on an improved dialogue process with fans, and would 'come up with an ambitious package of measures to transform the relationship and strengthen the club for the long-term.'
He apologised for the 'mistakes that were made' after initially committing United to a European Super League and acknowledged a need for increased investment in Old Trafford and the club's facilities as a whole.
“I want to reassure you that my family and I care deeply about Manchester United and feel a profound sense of responsibility to protect and enhance its strength for the long-term, while respecting its values and traditions,” he said.
It is rather fitting then that their final farewell to United fans is another needlessly stretched-out saga that summarises their flaws as owners throughout.
Of course, there is a limit to what the Glazer family can say right now. As a public limited company, there are certain restrictions given the implication it could have on shares in the club on the stock market.
United's share price soared earlier this week because traders were 'betting' on Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar acquiring the club off the back of a false social media report.
It spiraled out of control so quickly that it made many think the takeover saga was finally over and had a knock-on effect on share prices, with hundreds of millions of pounds added to United's value.
However, the Glazers could at least say something, no matter how hollow it is. It would only need to be a brief statement or a rehearsed sentence to the media, detailing where we are up to with regard to a possible takeover and why it has dragged on for so long.
The Glazers can't even pretend that they care about the fans; otherwise, that would have been done a long time ago. The longer it drags on, the less likely it is to ever happen.
Things have gotten so bad that many supporters would welcome state investment in the club and would be happy to trade a proud history for a tainted future under Qatar.
For many, it seems the only way United have any chance of competing with the likes of Man City, Paris Saint-Germain, and even Newcastle going forward. It shouldn't have to be that way.
City have just won a treble, backed by controversial owners who, for all their obvious flaws and controversies, invest huge amounts of money into the club. The issue is not with the investment but with where it has come from and whether it has breached any rules.
The Glazers have instead taken money out of the club, not invested their own money, watched as debts rose to an unprecedented level, and neglected club facilities for so long that they are trailing in the wake of others.
United don't need Qatari ownership to get where they want to be. They already make huge amounts of money in commercial deals and merchandise sales, while there is still enormous room for growth.
What they need is a caring owner. One who can streamline the business, manage the debt, and make every decision with the club's best interests at heart rather than their own ulterior motives.
Ultimately, they must also be open and engaging with fans. Whoever takes over will need to go on record and conduct an in-depth interview, outlining their ambitions for the club and how they plan on actually executing them.
Going forward, there needs to be clear communication and a consistent dialogue, as well as accountability, not just when they are forced into a corner to apologise.
If not for the failed European Super League, the Fans' Forum might never have actually come to fruition, and Joel Glazer would most likely have remained tight-lipped over plans for the club.
Two years after promising more clarity, we are still waiting for it.
A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here
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