April 12, (THEWILL) – Rival bidders for Manchester United have reportedly been given an opportunity to submit a third offer for the club by the end of this month.
As THEWILL reported, Qatari banker, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani and British billionaire, Jim Ratcliffe, submitted a second bid for the English Premier League club last month, and several offers have been received in recent weeks. However, the two remain the leading candidates should the current club owners, the Glazers, decide to relinquish control of the club.
The Glazers announced in November that they were considering selling the club as part of a strategic review. The Qatari group has reportedly made an offer of around £5 billion for 100% ownership of the club, while Ratcliffe wants to buy the combined Glazer shareholding of 69%. The Americans’ asking price is believed to be around $6 billion, which would make the 20-time English champions the most expensive sports club in history.
The Glazers have faced criticism from United supporters for placing significant debt on the club since their acquisition of it in 2005. They were expected to cash out for a substantial profit when they invited external investment in November, but it remains to be seen whether they will simply sell a controlling stake. The invitation for third offers could signal that they are still considering their options.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
