The Manchester United takeover process is close to hitting the seven-month mark and a lack of progress is leaving fans increasingly frustrated.
The transfer window has been open for nearly a week and there is no further clarity on who will cash the cheques for Erik ten Hag's summer rebuild. Such is the delay that the Reds boss is reportedly becoming angry as Premier League rivals start to invest in their squads.
The Glazers are still in discussions over who will be selected as a preferred bidder, with hope that there will be palpable development this within the next week. Below, MEN Sport have rounded up the latest takeover news.
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Sheikh Jassim's previous role
Prospective Manchester United owner Sheikh Jassim had a brief period as president of a Qatari club in the early 2000s.
Sheikh Jassim is the frontrunner to take over the Old Trafford outfit and launched a fifth bid for the club last month, understood to be for 100 per cent ownership.
Failsworth-born Sir Jim Ratcliffe, owner of Ineos, remains in the running and has also submitted multiple bids, albeit it’s understood his latest offer is for a majority ownership, potentially allowing the Glazer Family to stay on in some capacity.
The general consensus is that Sheikh Jassim is in pole position with the protracted takeover seemingly edging closer to a conclusion. And it won’t be his first football experience. Sheikh Jassim was involved with Al-Sadd in his homeland at the turn of the century.
United impact on sportswashing
Manchester United could be used as an exercise in sportswashing should Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani take over the club, according to a leading academic expert.
Throughout the takeover process, Sheikh Jassim has vehemently denied links to the Qatari government and has made efforts to distance himself from similarities being drawn between his bid and PSG's ownership. The Parisians are owned by the Qatar Sports Investment group which is overseen by the emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
But concerns over sportswashing would persist, just as they did with the winter World Cup in Qatar. For many, the December tournament won by Argentina was an example of sportswashing as the drama on the pitch washed over human rights abuses concerning the migrant workers who helped build the stadiums.
Associate professor at Rhode Island College and author of Changing Qatar: Culture, Citizenship, and Rapid Modernization Geoff Harkness explained the sportswashing concept amid a potential takeover of United by Sheikh Jassim.
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