Man Utd takeover news: Sheikh Jassim commitment claim made ahead of next stage in bidding process

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani will make a third bid to buy Manchester United before the deadline at the end of the month, according to reports.

It’s been widely reported that interested parties will be invited to submit a third and final offer for the club, with the deadline set for 28 April. Sheikh Jassim and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe are the only bidders still in the running, and it’s been claimed the former will definitely make an offer.

Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol tweeted on Thursday: “Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar will make a final offer for Manchester United before the deadline for third bids of Friday 28 April. He remains 100% committed to buying 100% of Manchester United.”

It follows a report in the Daily Mail that there is a ‘growing belief’ that the Glazers will sanction a full sale of the club rather than a partial buyout for a minority shareholder. “The decision to move to a final round, rather than enter into a period of exclusivity with one group, may suggest that the Glazers have not yet attracted a price at which they are happy to sell,” the Mail add.

Meanwhile, the same outlet state that parties still remain interested in purchasing a minority stake but a takeover is expected to be completed in time for a new owner to be in place before the transfer window opens.

Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus had previously submitted a proposal to buy United in the second round of bidding, but revealed he will not be involved in the final stage of the negotiations. “I have declined participation in a third bidding round for United. The bidding is turning into a farce, with Glazers giving no respect to the club,” he tweeted, before claiming that Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe were willing to ‘negotiate’ with Zilliacus, but added the Glazers ‘chose to start a new round [of bids]’.

Elsewhere, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) have called on the club’s owners to end the ongoing uncertainty around the takeover situation. “With Erik Ten Hag having made such great progress in his first season, and with the vital summer transfer window a matter of weeks away, the news of these delays and further prolonged uncertainty are of great concern,” claimed MUST.

“Erik needs to know what resources he has to spend so he can make the signings the club needs, and the whole management resources of the club need to be focussed on supporting him in that. That cannot be the case with the future ownership so unclear. We are also unable to move forward on major investment projects - not least the stadium redevelopment as we remain in limbo. We are in dire need of new investment, which undoubtedly requires new ownership.”