There has been no Saudi bid for Manchester United with the deadline having passed, it has been claimed.
Three bidders have emerged after the Glazer family put the club up for sale. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has confirmed his interest, as has Sir Jim Ratcliffe, while American hedge fund Elliott Investment Group is prepared to finance an investment in the club.
According to The Mail, a Saudi bid - which some had anticipated with the deadline looming - has not materialised. This news will come as a boost for Ratcliffe and the Qatari bid as the race hots up.
Private groups from Saudi Arabia were expected to enter the race for United, who were put up for sale by the Glazers in November. The American family have owned the Premier League club since 2005, and are understood to be holding out for as much as £6bn.
United's Premier League rivals Newcastle are already under Saudi ownership thanks to a takeover which was completed in 2021. The two high-flying teams are due to meet at Wembley on February 26 in the Carabao Cup final, and The Mail suggests concerns over potential conflicts of interest after that takeover may have been a factor after Saudi groups accessed financial data with a view to lodging an offer.
The latest developments come after the Manchester United Supporters' Trust laid out a set of demands for any successful bidder. Among these was a requirement to keep faith in manager Erik ten Hag, who has helped the Red Devils stay within touch of the Premier League's top two.
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"Finally, everyone can see the progress the team is making under Erik Ten Hag," the MUST statement read. "After the frustrations of the last decade, it is clear that enormous strides are being taken. Any prospective bidder needs to explicitly commit to backing Erik and his plans to restore United to glory."
INEOS chief Ratcliffe, a boyhood Manchester United fan, issued a statement confirming his interest in a takeover. There was also an official statement from Sheikh Jassim, who is proposing a takeover through his Nine Two Foundation, said to be named in honour of United's 'Class of 92' generation.
"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," Ratcliffe's statement read. "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."
