Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid to complete a takeover of Manchester United appears to have faltered with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani now leading the race to complete a deal.
The Red Devils have been up for sale since November with the INEOS owner and the Qatari billionaire emerging as the front-runners to become the club’s new owners. Both have lodged numerous bids for the Old Trafford outfit but the process has since appeared to grind to a halt.
The Glazers - and the facilitators of a sale, the Raine Group - have yet to name a preferred bidder. That delay has led to continued protests against the much-criticised American owners.