Man United takeover now: Sheikh Jassim may be in for a shock as Sir Jim Ratcliffe update emerges
Sheikh Jassim could be in for a rude awakening following his reported dismissal of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as a genuine contender to buy Manchester United ahead of next season. Sheikh Jassim has been leading a Qatari delegation bidding to take control of United from their current owners over the last few months, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been fronting a proposal to purchase a 50 per cent stake in the club.
The process has been ongoing for around six months now, with United fans no closer to knowing which bidder will be successful due to a lack of concrete updates in spite of the endless speculation. It has been reported as of late that Sheikh Jassim is quietly confident that Qatar’s proposal will be accepted, but Ratcliffe and Ineos are still very much in the race as things stand, according to Ben Jacobs.
It is said that Ratcliffe and his group have been informed that their bid remains in with a serious chance of being green-lighted by the Glazers, who would be in line to stay on as minority shareholders in the event of an Ineos-led takeover. However, there is believed to have been a lack of progress on Ratcliffe’s side in recent weeks even though his proposal is still under consideration.
“Many insiders are adamant that they’re still there,” said Jacobs. “So, this would also suggest that Qatar can be somewhat more positive, but also sceptical because they’re in the dark as to the Glazers’ intentions.
“So, from Qatar’s perspective, they either think they’re going to win or it will be a no sale and form Ratcliffe’s perspective, the group are going to have to work out how they can get Board approval, if they are to proceed. Otherwise, they could be out the race.”
It suggests that Sheikh Jassim is not home and hosed as of yet despite the apparent confidence from Qatar that they are leading the race to buy United ahead of Ratcliffe as things stand. Jacobs recently claimed that Sheikh Jassim no longer sees himself in a battle with Ratcliffe, who he thinks will not be considered as a serious contender by the Glazers this summer.
“Still, we have the same situation where Nine Two Foundation and INEOS are in the process,” Jacobs told GiveMeSport. “Maybe the only difference at this point is that there’s a real feeling on the Qatar side, that it will now be a case of them being successful, or a no sale, possibly with some kind of financing baked in.
“Instead of Qatar looking this as them versus Ratcliffe, which has been the narrative for much of the takeover, I think Nine Two Foundation feel like it’s about whether they’re picked or whether the Glazers opt for a no sale with some form of financing, then put the club on the market at a later date.”
It remains to be seen how the situation at United will develop over the next few weeks, with no end in sight to the growing speculation regarding the current state of play at Old Trafford. Gary Neville has been among those to publicly criticise the Glazers for keeping fans in the dark, while Erik ten Hag will also be hoping to be kept in the loo
“What you want from leaders is good, clear communication,” Neville told The Guardian last week. “The Glazer family do the exact opposite. They’re in a position of authority, looking after a community, and United’s fans around the world are a global community, but the Glazers haven’t communicated with them for nearly 20 years.
“The sale process is extending to an unpalatable length, everyone’s in the dark, and it’s symptomatic. They have to exit, but I haven’t got faith that they’ll do the right thing.”
