The race to takeover Manchester United is about to enter a crucial stage after which preferred bidders will be given 10 days to submit new offers.
The Daily Mail detail the new deadline and note that the delegation on behalf of Sheikh Jassim will visit the club on Thursday, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his advisors undertaking a similar visit on Friday.
On the one had you have Sheikh Jassim’s willingness to buy the club lock, stock and barrel, and an ability to cancel any debt the club may have.
His allegiance to the club can’t be compared to United fan, Ratcliffe, however, but it was reported by Telegraph that he only wants to by 69 percent of the club, matching the Glazer family’s ownership figures.
The outlet also noted that neither of their first offers were acceptable to the current United owners, so once both interested parties have had their whistle stop tour of the club’s facilities, it’ll be back down to work in order to come up with a figure acceptable to all parties.
If neither are able or willing to amend the terms of their original offers, then theoretically the current status quo will remain.
However, it does seem that the Glazer’s might be keen to do a deal – as long as it’s at the right price.
For United to truly move forward, it’ll be incumbent on the bidders to get things over the line, and arguably the Red Devils have never been closer to being sold since the Glazer’s first took over.