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Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is expected to make a second bid for Manchester United within the next 10 days, Sky Sports News has claimed.
United owners the Glazer family announced in November they were exploring “strategic alternatives” for the Premier League giants, that could result in an outright sale.
Three months later, Sheikh Jassim made a proposal for the club, while British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitted a rival bid.
Though both offers have fallen short of the Glazers’ £6billion valuation, Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim have both entered the next phase of the takeover process, which involves a detailed presentation at Old Trafford.
Sheikh Jassim to make second Man Utd bid
Sky Sports have claimed that Sheikh Jassim is expected to make a second offer for United by the end of next week.
It comes after representatives of the Qatari Sheikh visited the Premier League club on Thursday to hold takeover talks and tour the club’s facilities.
After making an indicative offer for the club last month before a soft deadline, Sheikh Jassim is now expected to submit a second bid for United.
Sky Sports News has been told by sources in New York that “there should be no doubt at all that Sheikh Jassim wants to be the owner and custodian” of the Old Trafford club.
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A Qatari delegation travelled to Manchester from London and received a warm welcome at Old Trafford, with talks said to have been “positive and constructive”.
Sheikh Jassim had been to Old Trafford as a fan before and the focus of his representative’s visit was reportedly to get a perspective on how investment could improve the club’s infrastructure, youth development and women’s team.
The Qatari’s are allegedly trying to get a better understanding of the asset before they make another bid.
Sky Sports added that it was too early into the process for Sheikh Jassim to be there in person, given he does not just want to merely attend for a photo opportunity.
Instead he sent his top team of experts in finance, banking, property and law, with the group “totally committed and in this to buy the club.”
Topics: Manchester United, Football, Premier League
Chris ByfieldADVERTADVERTADVERT”The Qataris will walk away…” – Sky Sports reporter drops huge Man Utd sale updateRyan Smart
Published 13:34, 09 March 2023 GMT| Last updated 14:18, 09 March 2023 GMT
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The Qatari-based bid for Manchester United is prepared to walk away from a takeover of the club if the price is not right, according to a new report.
Sheikh Jassim, chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), submitted a bid for the club through his Nine Two foundation, and is intent on securing a full takeover of the club from the Glazer family.
Meanwhile, the Glazers are said to have set a £6 billion asking price for the club, and are not prepared to sell United for a lower amount.
This could cause problems for Sheikh Jassim, with Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol claiming that the high asking price will not mean he will be ‘reckless’ when it comes to launching a bid for the club.
He is currently competing with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, the other publicly confirmed bid for the club, to take over United, with the Daily Mail claiming that four US hedge funds are also in the hunt to provide external cash to the Glazer family to invest in the club.
Qatari-based bid ‘prepared to walk away’ from United
Sky Sports claim that Sheikh Jassim shares ‘the same investment philosophy’ as his father, Sheikh Hamad, with the pair described as ‘smart, savvy, cautious investors’.
Those representing the bid have been invited to Old Trafford this week for further talks about the prospect of taking over United, with the Ratcliffe/Ineos bid representatives also invited to speak to club chiefs.
The Daily Mail claim that the football department will play a key role in any sale, with the first team operations on a list of areas that will be presented to prospective buyers.
Furthermore, it is said that the meeting between United chiefs, US bank Raine Group and Sheikh Jassim’s representatives will take place next week, with the meeting with Ratcliffe’s representatives expected to take place in the following week.
Topics: Manchester United, Football, Premier League
Ryan SmartADVERTADVERTADVERTJournalist drops major Man Utd takeover update as ‘growing frustration’ claim madeRyan Smart
Published 10:57, 05 March 2023 GMT| Last updated 11:01, 05 March 2023 GMT
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A prominent journalist has reported a key update on a potential takeover of Manchester United that may eventually prove to be significant in deciding the future ownership of the club.
The current owners of the club, the Glazer family, are currently exploring ‘strategic alternatives’, which could involve a transaction involving United.
Three bidders have publicly confirmed interest in either taking over or acquiring a minority or majority stake in the club.
Qatar businessman Sheikh Jassim wants to complete a full takeover of United, whilst Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are aiming to take over the Glazers’ majority stake.
Meanwhile, another bidder, Luxembourg-based Genevra Capital, confirmed in a press release earlier this week that they wanted to control a minority stake in United.
There have been question marks over whether the Glazers will give away control of the club, with Sky Sports News claiming there are ‘growing fears’ that they will not sell following co-owner Avram Glazer’s appearance at Wembley for the 2-0 Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle.
But a new takeover update has dropped that will surely excite United fans who want to see new ownership in place.
Journalist drops key Man Utd update
The Daily Mail’s Mike Keegan has reported that both Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe have been invited to Old Trafford for talks, in a potentially significant development.
It is claimed that a ‘number of summits’ will now take place between the bidders, United chiefs and merchant bank, the Raine Group.
Sheikh Jassim, Ratcliffe and a third unnamed bidders are said to have been invited, with the claim being made that the club’s chief executive, Richard Arnold, will also be present during talks.
However, there are believed to be ‘growing frustration’ over a lack of access to United’s full finances from an unnamed bidder, which may put a roadblock in the way of any talks.
Another key issue is the Glazers’ asking price, with Sky Sports News claiming that none of the bids have come close to the £6 billion figure that the owners are demanding in order to relinquish control of the club.
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League
Ryan SmartADVERTADVERTADVERT”Ratcliffe’s intention is..” – BBC journalist drops Man Utd takeover update as “interesting” prospect revealedRyan Smart
Published 16:00, 15 March 2023 GMT| Last updated 16:00, 15 March 2023 GMT
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BBC journalist Simon Stone has dropped the latest update on the potential takeover of Manchester United, including the status of two public bidders involved.
The confirmed bids thus far have been made by Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim, who is the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB). He has launched an offer for a full takeover of United through his Nine Two foundation.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, meanwhile, have also confirmed their bid. They want to acquire the majority stake in United held by the club’s current owners, the Glazer family.
Other proposals have come from hedge funds, with four US-based funds reportedly in the running.
One of these is Elliott Management, the former owners of AC Milan. Their offer is to provide external financing to any interested party in United, or to the Glazers for further investments into the club.
All three offers are through to the next stage, with meetings planned with United chiefs. Now, BBC Sport journalist Stone has offered more insight into the meetings, and the next steps of the process.
Journalist drops latest Man Utd takeover update
Stone claims that Ratcliffe is set to be at Old Trafford this Friday for his meeting, with the businessman set to receive a presentation on the potential sale process.
It is added that Sheikh Jassim’s representatives are due for their meeting on Thursday.
Ratcliffe is expected to travel up to Manchester from France, with Stone writing that the prospect of Ratcliffe being spotted arriving at Old Trafford is ‘an interesting one’. Interested parties have also visited the club’s training ground, with Ratcliffe’s meeting on the same day as Erik ten Hag’s pre-match press conference.
The latest update is certainly a significant development, with reports last week claiming that while representatives of the bid were expected to attend Old Trafford, it was unclear whether Radcliffe himself would be travelling to the north west.
The 70-year-old, who was born in Failsworth, Greater Manchester, is a boyhood United fan – and is now set to have the opportunity to speak to United officials face-to-face in England.
Topics: Manchester United, Premier League
Ryan SmartADVERTADVERTADVERT”I’ve been told…” – Sky Sports reporter drops Man Utd takeover update as “circus” claim madeChris Byfield
Published 17:56, 09 February 2023 GMT| Last updated 17:59, 09 February 2023 GMT
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The Glazers have received less interest in the purchase of Manchester United than they had expected, according to Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol.
In November United’s controversial owners, the Glazer family announced a potential sale of the club, claiming they would “consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company”.
With the Americans said to have set a mid-February deadline for takeover offers, it has been widely reported that private investors linked to the Qatari royal family are considering making a bid for the Old Trafford club.
Meanwhile, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who owns the petrochemical giant Ineos, announced last month he had joined the process to buy United, who he has supported his entire life.
The Glazers are said to be looking for a sale price of £6billion, which would be a world record fee for a sports team. The club are valued at £3.2billion on the New York Stock Exchange.
Man Utd received less interest than Chelsea
According to Sky Sports journalist Solhekol, the public interest in United has not met the Glazers’ expectations, with Ratcliffe the only party to have made a public bid for the club.
Comparing last year’s sale of Chelsea to the current bidding process at United, the journalist claimed: “[Chelsea] attracted a lot of people who were serious about buying Chelsea, but a lot of people as well who were looking for publicity, I think that is what’s different.
“As far as Manchester United and Liverpool are concerned, it is not as much of a sort of media circus, but there is interest in buying Manchester United, but I’ve been told that it’s not quite at the level that was expected.
“So far, the only person who’s shown their hand has been the UK businessman to Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has come out and said that yes, he would like to buy Manchester United.
“But apart from that, we haven’t had anyone coming out publicly saying that they want to buy the club in the same way that we had with Chelsea.”
