Man Utd takeover latest: Decision ‘close’ as Glazers ‘still considering’ no sale

Manchester United are still at the centre of a takeover storm months after it was announced the Glazers would search for investment.

Many United fans had been calling for the Glazers to sell the club for years ahead of their announcement towards the back-end of last season, although we still don’t know whether a full sale will be made. What we do know is that it’s almost certain the Glazers will not have majority of control when the new new investors do officially arrive at the club.

As Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim battle it out to win the race, we have rounded up all the latest news relating to a takeover at Old trafford.

‘Close’ claim

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Ratcliffe and Jassim feel a takeover decision could be close, but both remain in the dark.

Jacobs told Football Fan Cast: “The challenge for each of the suitors that have gone public, Sheikh Jassim and the Nine Two Foundation, is that they may feel six feet from the finishing line, but if their rival is only six inches, then that becomes irrelevant and that’s the sort of situation we’re in at the moment where each group feels they’re quite close, but unsure whether their rival is even closer.

“Then, of course, the Glazers could just move the finishing line further back as well, so there are multiple parties still engaged.”

NDAs revealed

As detailed by The Mirror, both Sheikh Jassim and Jim Ratcliffe are said to have signed non-disclosure agreements as part of the takeover process.

Those agreements prevent either party from speaking to anyone outside the negotiation circles about the process and what is happening. Of course, there are still ways to leak updates, but neither bidder will want to risk upsetting the Glazers, who have a strict policy about this sort of things, as they look to win the race.

The NDAs will be a big reason for the lack of updates during this takeover process.

Glazers may not sell at all

A report from The Athletic has suggested that United are at a complete standstill when it comes to the takeover.

In a long piece detailing all the updates surrounding the takeover so far, the publication wind up with the conclusion that the Glazers may decide not to sell at all given their valuation still hasn’t been met. That is not dubbed the most likely result, but it’s suggested the leaks of one party or another winning are likely rubbish, given the Glazers are extremely careful over leaks.

That will be concerning news for United fans as the new season draws closer and as this process rumbles on.