Manchester United fans are no closer to knowing how the club's takeover will resolve itself moving forwards.
The deadline for third round bids passed at the end of April with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe remaining in the conversation. The Glazers have yet to make their minds up about who their preferred bidder is.
After protests prior to the Aston Villa victory, United supporters are losing patience but according to fresh reports, the Reds' current owners may be leaning towards Sheikh Jassim's offer. Keep across the latest takeover news below.
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Sheikh Jassim's offer preferred to Ratcliffe's
Speaking to the Daily Express with Grosvenor Sport, football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley claimed the Glazers will be preferring the bigger offer, which is currently Sheikh Jassim's. "I think the decisive factor is always simply money when it comes down to it," he explained.
"If not the best offer on the table, it'll be the one that is slightly preferred based on the finances behind it. If that is the price (£5/6bn) that the Glazers are wanting or at least are willing to sell at for a full takeover, let's say, my gut feeling on it, and you know you're always speculating slightly, but I just think the Qatar bid is probably slightly preferred at the minute because it's a full takeover.
"Also, through the connections of that owner, you know that you could get access to funds further down the line to build the club because you've got to look at infrastructure, you've got to look at squad development, etc. It's not just the takeover price, it's all the other stuff that comes with it, so it does feel like that's the one that has the most clout."
Sheikh Jassim to 'offer jobs to United legends'
According to ESPN, United’s greatest players from the club’s most successful teams will be offered the chance to return to Old Trafford in prominent roles if Sheikh Jassim’s takeover bid is accepted. Such a move would open the door for players from United’s 1999 treble winners, as well as leading figures from the club’s Champions League winning team of 2008, to represent the club at various levels.
The publication claimed that the absence of United’s most renowned players at United is an issue that Sheikh Jassim is determined to address. The Qatari allegedly wants the club to take advantage of the profile and experience of former greats just as clubs such as Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have done.
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