Man Utd takeover ‘paused’ as Glazers’ ‘preferred option’ emerges amid Qatar frustration

There is growing concern that Manchester United’s takeover process may have been paused, according to reports.

It’s nearly three months since Raine set the unofficial deadline for final bids to be submitted for the Red Devils, and while the story dominated the sporting news agenda over May and early June, reports surrounding the latest in the takeover process have hugely dwindled in recent weeks.

It has led to a claim from the Daily Mail that there are ‘now concerns among those involved over whether the Glazers will sell’, with some believing the process has been essentially stalled for the time being. There is no chance the saga will be concluded before the start of the 2023/24 campaign, and it’s been suggested it could even extend into the winter months.

The Mail added the Glazers were hoping to receive a bid of around £6bn for the club, but the two remaining offers from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are around the £5bn mark. At present, the Glazers’ ‘preferred option’ is to retain control of the club and hope the price is driven up in the coming years with Europe’s top clubs expecting an increase in revenue.

However, reporter Ben Jacobs claimed via Twitter that the process has ‘not been paused’ but said it has left Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe ‘somewhat in limbo’, while there’s a sense of frustration over the lack of communication.

Meanwhile, Ratcliffe has put ‘no timeframe’ on the process, according to the Guardian. The British billionaire is said to remain ‘patient’ but has yet to hear back from the Glazers since his final April bid was lodged.

The outlet also reported that the Qatar delegation have ‘become frustrated’ with how the negotiations have been handled, with Sheikh Jassim ‘unsure’ if the Glazers plan to sell. In contrast, Bloomberg stated earlier this week thar the Qatari remains confident that his bid will win.