The Glazers are likely to still be in control of Man Utd when the new Premier League season kicks off in August, according to ɾєρօɾτs.
Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim and INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe are the two public bidders for overall control of the club with other minority investors also ɾєρօɾτedly interested.
Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe both lodged their third bids by the April 28 deadlineset by the Glazers but the former has made two further bids in an effort to shore up his chances of winning the takeover race.
It is understood that Sheikh Jassim lodged his fifth bid last week following claims the Ratcliffe camp were growing confident that they would be selected as the preferred bidder.
However, ɾєρօɾτs in Qatar this week claimed that Sheikh Jassim and his Nine Two Foundation had won the battle to buy Man Utd and Rio Ferdinand yesterday claimed a “good source” had informed him of the Qatari’s success.
“The Man Utd takeover is imminent,”Ferdinand said in hisFIVEchannel onYouTube. “We are hearing the Qatari bid is the one that has been accepted, the one that is imminent and the one that is going to go thɾօυɢҺ. Hallelujah, man. I cannot wait. Please let this happen.
“Look how long this has gone on for. The Glazers have dug their heels in. It will go to the biggest bidder which is normal in negotiations but I want this to be resolved before the transfer window kicks in and now it is opening and starting to move.”
Ferdinand added: “I have woken up every day hoping that every day there will be a bid accepted. We are hearing that it is close. It will happen in a matter of days. If not a matter of hours.
“If it does not, we do not know how much money we have to spєɴԀ and United will be playing catch up. So fingers crossed this information is really true – I have it from a good source that it is true.”
And Reuters also ɾєρօɾτed yesterday that Man Utd is ‘negotiating granting exclusivity’ to Sheikh Jassim’s consortium with the development representing ‘a major milestone’ in the takeover process.
However,Daily Mailjournalist Mike Keegan has dismissed claims that Sheikh Jassim has been granted exclusivity and warned that the takeover might not be sorted until the new Premier League season has started.
Keegan wrote: “As of Thursday night, no preferred bidder had been chosen. And Mail Sport understands should the Glazers decide who they want to sell to, a further eight to 12 weeks ‘approval process’ would follow before a Ԁєɑł is officially approved.
“That means that when Erik ten Hag’s men start the 2023-24 campaign against Wolves at Old Trafford on August 14, the Glazers – deeply unpopular with large sections of the club’s fanbase – may well still be technically in control.
“Any successful bidder will be subject to an approval and closing process and there will be no impact on United’s summer transfer business.”
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