Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim has now submitted a world-record bid to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family, Africa Today News, New York has gathered.
The deadline for final offers for the club was this Friday, April 28. Sheikh Jassim, the head of Qatar Islamic Bank, reportedly made an offer that over £5 billion.
If accepted, that would be the highest fee ever paid for a sports team or franchise and would be double the £2.5 billion that a US-led consortium spent to take over Chelsea last year. Despite this, it is less than the £6 billion the Glazers ideally want to give up in order to give up complete control of Old Trafford.
However, it is also reported to be a ‘take it or leave it’ offer from the Qataris, who are determined not to pay over the odds. Sheikh Jassim, the son of a former Qatari prime minister, was the first prospective owner to publicly confirm a bid.
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INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe quickly followed on Friday night lodging a final bid of his own, with both parties having made trips to Manchester last month to visit the club and speak to the senior hierarchy.
In addition to Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe, the likes of Carlyle, Elliott Management, Ares Management, and Sixth Street reportedly made minority investment proposals.
It has also been reported this week that one option on the table could see Ratcliffe take a controlling stake of more than 50 per cent, with Avram and Joel Glazer retaining a combined 20 percent. Ratcliffe’s representatives did not comment on the matter when contacted by the PA news agency.
In the wake of that story, the 1958 – a United supporters group that came to prominence last year – posted on Twitter: “If you get in bed with Glazer. You are a Glazer. The fans will have their say this Sunday. FULL SALE ONLY.”