Man Utd takeover news: Plans ‘in place’ as Glazers’ Mason Mount transfer stance emerges

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both have reportedly planned their initial steps as Manchester United owners, if either of their respective bids are accepted.

The offers from Qatar and Ineos are the only two being considered at this stage in the prolonged takeover process, which has dragged on for well over six months. Interested parties submitted their final bids in the last weekend of April, with reports then emerging that Sheikh Jassim returned with an improved proposal well after the deadline. However, recent reports claim that neither party has heard back regarding their offers from the Raine Group, the merchant bankers handling the sale process.

Yet, according to ESPN, Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim ‘have senior management teams in place if their offers are accepted but any transition is likely to take time’. The same outlet also claim that the Glazers are willing to sanction a move for midfielder Mason Mount, although there is concern at Chelsea’s valuation of the player. It comes amid reports that the Red Devils are progressing on a £50m move for the England international.

Meanwhile, it was recently reported that all six Glazer siblings could retain shares in the club if Ratcliffe’s bid to buy United is successful. The Financial Times state the 70-year-old’s offer would see the Glazers stay at the club but would be contractually obliged to sell their shares to Ineos in the coming years.

Meanwhile, journalist Ben Jacobs told Give Me Sport that Sheikh Jassim could retract his offer via the Nine Two Foundation, if he felt the Glazers were likely to reject it.

“If it gets to a point where they no longer feel like they can buy the club because the Glazers are looking in a different direction or the process is just not geared towards getting anything done that benefits them, and quickly, at that point I don’t think the Nine Two Foundation would just wait to watch somebody else come in and be rejected,” he said. “I think they would pull out of the process first. I don’t think the Nine Two Foundation will necessarily want a scenario whereby they’re rejected.”