Man Utd takeover news: Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim ‘slips ahead’ of Sir Jim Ratcliffe in race

Despite the noises last week that the Qatar’s were close to completing a takeover of Manchester United, there remains no public announcement regarding a sale of the club.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s bid was prematurely declared by a jubilant Rio Ferdinand on Thursday, while Retuers said the Glazers were ‘negotiating granting exclusivity’ to the Qatar-backed offer. Al-Watan, a news outlet based in the Gulf state, also claimed that Sheikh Jassim had won the race to take over United, while Faisal Islam, the BBC’s Economics Editor, said Qatar had the equivalent of a ‘3-2 lead in the 89th minute’.

The Guardian claimed on Monday that ‘Nine Two foundation has slipped ahead of Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos bid’, yet there remains no concrete information from Raine or United. The Ineos bid, it is believed, will see the Glazers retain some stake in the club, although they will be forced to sell their shares in the coming years, while the Qatar offer is for 100 percent of the club.

In the midst of this, there is understandable frustration from certain figures at United, who feel the prolonged takeover saga is having a negative impact on the club’s transfer plans. United are keen on a move for Mason Mount, and there’s a renewed feeling of optimism around Old Trafford that Chelsea will sell for a lower fee given the imminent income expected from the sales of Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech.

Along with Mount, a move for a new no.9 is expected, even if funds are thin on the ground. It’s for that reason there’s a sense of annoyance, as the Glazers stalling on a sale means a cash injection for Erik ten Hag this summer is looking increasingly unlikely.