Man Utd takeover round-up: Qatari bidder ‘prepared to walk away’ as Glazer family ‘consider’ U-turn

The second stage of Manchester United’s hunt for new owners is underway, with the interested parties all set to meet club officials at Old Trafford over the next couple of weeks.

The Glazer family put the Premier League club up for sale in November after a whopping 17 years at the helm. The Red Devils’ owners have been put under immense pressure in recent seasons as the fans have carried out a number of protests and it finally looks like they could get their wish.

The Daily Mail revealed that the prospective owners are set to travel to Old Trafford from Thursday, with US bankers Raine Group looking to thrash out a deal in the coming months.

Here is the latest on Man Utd’s takeover...

Qatar ‘prepared to walk away’

Multiple reports have claimed that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani could walk away from his bid unless the club’s asking price is lowered. The Qatari has proceeded to the second stage of the process and was believed to be one of the favourites to buy the club, however it is understood he will not be willing to pay over the odds.

The Glazer family are reportedly demanding around £6 billion to part ways with the Premier League outfit, however it is thought that no bid has met their demands as of yet. Sky Sports have claimed that Sheikh Jassim - who has reportedly bid around £4.5bn - is still eager to buy, but not at all costs and is looking to avoid a bidding war.

It has also been claimed that Sheikh Jassim has been offered other clubs in the past but has only ever shown interested in buying United. He is also only looking to buy 100 per cent of the club and has no interest in a minority investment. The Qatari will be looking to make his pursuit of the Red Devils a smart one and won’t be looking to become distracted by his feelings for the club.

Man Utd U-turn?

The Glazer family could perform a huge U-turn and take Manchester United off the market, according to The Sun.

The Americans are reportedly considering scrapping the takeover process and are giving serious consideration into using external cash to create a new company to push the club’s merchandising and digital commercial operation. The set-up would see the Glazers join forces with a US hedge fund to build the new entity and would allow them to rake in money off the pitch.

The family will have to make their decision soon however, with meetings with the prospective new owners well underway. While the possibility of remaining at the club may be an attractive prospect financially, the Glazers would be taking a huge risk in forcing a further divide with fans, who are desperate for a takeover to be completed before next season.