By lunchtime on Saturday, Manchester United fans knew of two takeover bids that had been lodged for their club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s interest had been known for some time and welcomed, while the emergence of Qatari banker Sheik Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s proposals on Friday also drew a wave of positive reactions from some fans online.
But as Saturday afternoon edged into evening, a third potential party also became linked with the Reds. American hedge fund giant Elliott Investment Management have seemingly thrown their name into the hat - albeit not to offer a full-scale takeover but, instead, the financing for a bid.
