Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe launched bids to try and complete a takeover of Manchester United on Friday.
Al Thani, who is the chairman of one of Qatar's biggest banks - Qatar Islamic Bank - announced shortly after 8pm that he had tabled a bid to try and complete a big-money takeover of the club. Ratcliffe and his Ineos group responded by submitting an offer of their own ahead of the 10pm deadline set by the Raine Group, who are overseeing the sale of the club on behalf of the Glazer family, though they have not released an official statement as of yet.
Ratcliffe confirmed that he had entered the bidding race to purchase United last month and he is expected to be Al Thani's main rival in the battle to gain full control at Old Trafford. The Greater Manchester-born 70-year-old was among the bidders trying to buy Chelsea last year.
