{"id":292008,"date":"2023-10-11T19:12:20","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T19:12:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/?p=292008"},"modified":"2023-10-11T19:12:20","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T19:12:20","slug":"sheikh-jassim-man-utd-takeover-close-as-update-casts-doubt-on-ratcliffe-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstoft.com\/soccer\/sheikh-jassim-man-utd-takeover-close-as-update-casts-doubt-on-ratcliffe-bid\/","title":{"rendered":"Sheikh Jassim Man Utd takeover ‘close’ as update casts doubt on Ratcliffe bid"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    Manchester United\u2019s takeover saga is \u2018very close\u2019 to ending with reports that Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is on the brink of purchasing the club.<\/p>\n

    One year on from when the Glazers put United on the market, it\u2019s reported that a breakthrough is near as months following months of deadlocked negotiations. The Glazer family announced in November last year there was a strategic review to explore investment opportunities, including a potential sale of the club.<\/p>\n

    United fans have been vocal about the Glazers' ownership for decades, even before the US family won control of the club in 2005 as Malcolm Glazer became the majority shareholder. And it seems that years of turmoil under their ownership and months of speculation regarding the club\u2019s sale could be drawing to a close.<\/p>\n

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    Qatari Sheikh Jassim and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe emerged as the two leading candidates to buy the club, whilst minority investment was also considered by the Glazer family. Sheikh Jassim wants 100 per cent of the club and vowed to clear the club\u2019s skyrocketing debt and invest in all areas of the club, including the embarrassingly out-dated Old Trafford and Carrington Training Centre.<\/p>\n

    While Ratcliffe\u2019s proposed deal appeared to likely be a phased takeover, which seemed to suit the demands of the Glazers after co-chairman Joel and Avram Glazer got cold feet over relinquishing the club despite tasking US bank the Raine Group to orchestrate the sale.<\/p>\n

    Man Utd fans \u2013 do you want Sheikh Jassim to purchase the club? Let us know in the comments section.<\/i> <\/b><\/p>\n

    <\/p>\n

    According to Qatari outlet Alkass TV Sport, Sheikh Jassim is \u2018very close\u2019 to completing a takeover of the club. It\u2019s also said that Ratcliffe will not takeover the club \u2018because he was not serious in the first place\u2019.<\/p>\n

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    The delay in the process to date was blamed on the \u2018stubbornness\u2019 of the Glazers, after the Qatari previously submitted more than three offers for United, including one that reached the Glazers\u2019 previous demands of \u00a36billion, which later shot to \u00a310billion. <\/p>\n

    A date for the deal hasn\u2019t been set and due to the NDAs signed by the club\u2019s bidders, there has been very little confirmed information made public regarding the takeover.<\/p>\n