Man Utd takeover news: Agreement ‘could be in place’ by April as process moves to next stage

A third unnamed party are said to be in the running to buy Manchester United.
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A broad agreement for the takeover of Manchester United could be reached by the end of April, according to reports.

The Raine Group, the bank who are overseeing the sale process, set a soft deadline last month for interested parties to submit bids, with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe providing the only confirmed offers at this stage.

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However, there have been numerous reports that other bids have been submitted, with the Daily Mail claiming that Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe will be summoned to Old Trafford in the coming weeks as the sale process moves into its next stage, while an unnamed third group are said to ‘have been asked to attend’ a meeting as well.

There is also believed to be frustration at this stage that Raine have not released the full financial records of the club, with the cost of Old Trafford’s restoration still seen to be a real uncertainty for those bidding. The Mail add that the Glazers are requesting a £6bn price for the club and it’s not clear if any of the family will be in attendance at these meetings.

Meanwhile, as per ESPN, United staff have been told there should be ‘clarity’ regarding the ownership situation before the end of the season, with the Glazers preferring a full takeover rather than an offer of partial investment.

“There remains hope that a broad agreement could be in place by the end of April and in time to let potential new owners to have an influence decisions during the summer transfer window,” ESPN state.

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Reports from RMC Sport claim that a sale could be wrapped up in two to four months, with the Qatar-based offer from Sheikh Jassim currently looking the most likely to succeed. The news comes amid recent uncertainty that the Glazers will sell the club, which had a negative impact on the club’s stock price.