With Manchester United’s takeover talks seemingly continuing apace, Erik ten Hag deserves immense credit for appearing to ensure that the first XI aren’t distracted by such off field matters.
On the pitch the Red Devils are going from strength to strength at just the right time of the season, and they’ll surely be there to pick up any crumbs if those teams around them slip up over the coming weeks.
Still in the FA Cup and Europa League, United aren’t yet out of the Premier League title race, even if that seems an unlikely summit to reach at this point.
Regardless, the Dutchman is concentrating on getting the team back where it belongs.
In the corridors of power, a takeover of the club surely can’t come soon enough for United’s long-suffering supporters.
They may well be heartened by the latest news, however, after Telegraph Sport (subscription required) quoted sources as telling them that both Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s and Sheikh Jassim’s bids for the club have advanced to the second stage (of three).
That still doesn’t mean a deal is close of course, though the report does go on to say that current owners, the Glazer family, would need a deal done by the end of April.
It isn’t clear if either bid is favoured, and with seemingly quite different financial models in play – Sheikh Jassim is believed to have pledged to clear United’s current debt in it’s entirety as well as investing in upgrading Old Trafford and the playing staff for example – things could genuinely go either way.
What is abundantly clear is that Man United need to be back amongst the elite in every facet, so whomever is lucky enough to be handed the golden ticket has to make good on any promises that got them around the negotiating table in the first place.
It is my prayer that Sheikh Kassim gets it. He seems to be more poised to take the club to the next level.
It will be great to see the glazer’s family sale the club so the changes come very first
It will better better if the Sheikhs Kassim take over from the Glazer’s, so that Manunited can stand well.