May 2 – The race to buy Manchester United has taken another twist with British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group reportedly having valued the club higher than Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim.
The pair are in a bidding war to buy the Premier League club from the Glazer family.
The Times newspaper said Ineos is the only contender to have valued the club higher than £5 billion after both prospective new owners submitted third and final bids.
United supporters have long campaigned to drive out the Glazer family and want the process to be completed in time for the start of the summer transfer window.
Sheikh Jassim reportedly wants to buy 100% of the club and erase United’s $620 million debt whereas Ratcliffe only wants a controlling stake.
Sheikh Jassim has previously stated his commitment to invest in Old Trafford, the club’s training centre and playing squads in a bid to “return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch.”
Ratcliffe, a boyhood United fan, has spoken of a “fan-centered approach to ownership” and a determination to make United the “No. 1 club in the world once again.”
If an agreement is reached, the Daily Telegraph claims Ratcliffe would want “immediate control” of transfers at the club, rather than waiting for the sale process to be completed.
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) has called for a swift conclusion to the process to allow new owners to be in place for the summer transfer window.
“We are in dire need of new investment, which undoubtedly requires new ownership. MUST, along with United fans all around the world, are calling for this process to be concluded without further delay,” the fans’ group said in a statement.
Another supporters group, The 1958, led an anti-Glazers protest before the home match against Villa at the weekend.
Chants against the owners were heard from the outset after fans were asked to wait outside for the first 18 minutes of the match, in reference to 18 years of Glazer ownership.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1715000544labto1715000544ofdlr1715000544owedi1715000544sni@w1715000544ahsra1715000544w.wer1715000544dna1715000544