The takeover process for Manchester United is set to be extended further, with parties invited to submit a third round of bids to current owners the Glazer family.
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, a Qatari banker, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company Ineos are seen as the two leading contenders to buy the Premier League club and both submitted revised bids towards the end of March.
At the time they were the only publicly confirmed offers for the entirety of the Old Trafford club, but since then Elliott Management were reportedly in talks over a minority stake and Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus has also announced a bid.
While the Raine Group are still leading the sale, the Glazers opting to extend the process appears to mean a completed deal before the end of the current season is now unlikely. The slow nature of any decision over a sale has left bidders feeling “that the Glazers are surveying all options to drive the price of the club up, and will only sell if they receive an offer of at least £6bn,” the Independent recently reported.
Bidders are now being invited to submit a third round of bids, with a deadline at the end of April. Sources have told the Independent that both Ineos and Qatar will be doing so, with the latter remaining confident in their approach.
On the pitch, the concern at the club is over whether a delay in ratifying any eventual takeover will affect the spending power and planning in the transfer market for Erik ten Hag.
A striker is the manager’s main priority, but additional signings will be required as United prepare for a return to the Champions League.
They currently sit fourth in the table with nine games to play, while also have a Europa League quarter-final first leg to contend with this week.
Top scorer Marcus Rashford is sidelined through injury and will miss the upcoming run of games, though Anthony Martial is back to full fitness.
