Man Utd takeover news: Sheikh Jassim ‘second bid’ expected with ‘big week ahead’

There is growing confidence that the Glazers will sell Manchester United, with reports claiming that fresh offers will be lodged for the club this week.

Sheikh Jassim Hamad al-Thani’s Qatari delegation and Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos colleagues were both shown round Old Trafford and Carrington last week as the takeover talks progressed to the next stage, with the two parties hopeful of purchasing the club.

And Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol claimed Sheikh Jassim will now submit a second bid by ‘close of business on Wednesday’. He added, via Twitter, that there is ‘growing confidence among bidders that Glazers are willing to sell the club’.

It comes after several reports last month stated the Glazer siblings were torn on whether to relinquish control of the Red Devils, while Erik ten Hag said Avram Glazer’s presence at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final showed his ‘commitment’.

Meanwhile, Ben Jacobs of CBS tweeted to say both Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe are expected to submit new offers by Wednesday but added there won’t be any ‘reckless bidding’. He said that any offer will be ‘above the club’s enterprise value’, while there could be a period of exclusivity for any party if the Glazers’ asking price is met.

“Big week ahead, though, since whatever happens the Glazers hand should become more apparent,” Jacobs also wrote. “Worth remembering as well, the two publicly-declared bidders are not the only groups still involved.”

The news comes in the wake of United’s 3-1 win over Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday, a game which was punctuated by numerous anti-Glazer chants, while over recent matches there have been an increasing number of banners near the tunnel of the Stretford End, an area which is picked up by cameras as the players walk on and off the pitch.