Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim holds ‘direct’ Glazers meeting over £5.5bn bid as doubts raised over full sale

Sheikh Jassim made a fourth bid for Man Utd on Tuesday with Sir Jim Ratcliffe the preferred buyer
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Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani bypassed the Raine Group and went to straight to the Glazers to table his late £5.5bn for Manchester United.

The Athletic report the Qatari banker went straight to the United owners with his fourth offer amid ‘tensions’ with Raine Group, who have been appointed to oversee the sale.

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Sheikh Jassim’s offer is said to be worth £5.5bn and be for 100 per cent of the club while Ratcliffe has offered less money for a lower stake, but his bid sill values the club higher.

It is stated some members of the Raine Group were surprised to not receive any contact from Sheikh Jassim after his latest bid on Tuesday.

Ratcliffe has been in Manchester to visit the club’s Carrington training ground as well as Old Trafford while Sheikh Jassim sent delegates to visit the facilities and speak with United chiefs.

The main difference between the two bids is for the amount of shares they want to purchase. The Qatari consortium are said to have expressed concerns over the Glazers’ desire to sell 100 per cent of the club but Sheikh Jassim remains keen to have his bid accepted.

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Ratcliffe is said to be leading the race for the club but Sheikh Jassim’s increased offer indicates his determination to own the club.

The Glazers first announced their intentions to sell United late last year, with three official rounds of bidding taking place, the last of which was at the end of April.

As the process continues to drag, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) have urged the Glazers to make a decision in order to avoid uncertainty over the summer transfer window.

A spokesperson told The Mirror: “The sale process has now been going on for six months.

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“With the transfer window about to open, the Glazers need to make a decision on the sale and fast. A summer of uncertainty would be disastrous for Erik ten Hag and cannot be allowed to happen.”

A similar statement was made by the group last month. It read: “With Erik ten Hag having made such great progress in his first season, and with the vital summer transfer window a matter of weeks away, the news of these delays and further prolonged uncertainty are of great concern.

“We are also unable to move forward on major investment projects - not least the stadium redevelopment as we remain in limbo. 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.”