Man Utd takeover ‘imminent’ as Qatari bid could be accepted ‘within hours’

Ex-Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has claimed Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is in line to become the club’s new owner with an announcement a matter of days, if not a ‘matter of hours’, away.

Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the owner of INEOS, have been the only two public bidders for the club after the Glazers announced their intention to seek outside investment in the Old Trafford outfit in November.

A number of rounds of bidding have taken place with the process dragging on past the end of the season. Al-Watan, a Qatar news organisation owned by Sheikh Jassim’s father, reported his bid had been successful earlier this week.

Ferdinand has backed up that claim ‘from a good source’, stating a takeover could be completed ‘imminently’. Last week, Sheikh Jassim said he would walk away from the drawn-out process if his latest bid was not accepted by Friday, June 9.

However, his offer is set to remain on the table as the saga drags on with the summer transfer window now open.

“The Man United takeover is imminent,” Ferdinand said on YouTube. “We are hearing the Qatari bid is the one that has been accepted, the one that is imminent and the one that is going to go through. Hallelujah, man. I cannot wait. Please let this happen.

“Look how long this has gone on for. The Glazers have dug their heels in. It will go to the biggest bidder which is normal in negotiations but I want this to be resolved before the transfer window kicks in and now it is opening and starting to move.”

He added: “I have woken up every day hoping that every day there will be a bid accepted. We are hearing that it is close. It will happen in a matter of days... if not a matter of hours. If it does not, we do not know how much money we have to spend and United will be playing catch up. So fingers crossed this information is really true – I have it from a good source that it is true.”