Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe still want to buy Man Utd; Qatari banker and British industrialist have made bids which value United at about £5bn; But the Glazers have been holding out for higher offers; Two bidders not put off club despite poor start to the season
Wednesday 20 September 2023 23:20, UK
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe still want to buy Manchester United despite the sale process dragging on for 10 months as well as on and off-field problems at the club.
The Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim and British industrialist Ratcliffe have made bids which value United at about £5bn, but the Glazers have been holding out for higher offers.
One source has said: "The longer they demand more money, the more the very asset they are trying to sell is being devalued."
The Glazers announced a strategic review in November last year which they said could lead to a sale. United chief executive Richard Arnold confirmed on Monday in a staff meeting that the process was ongoing.
The two bidders' interest in buying United has not been affected by United's disappointing start to the season and off-field problems.
United have lost three of their opening five Premier League games this season.
Mason Greenwood has been sent on loan to Getafe, Antony has been given time off to "address allegations" of assault and Jadon Sancho is training away from the first team after refusing to apologise for criticising Erik ten Hag in a social media post.
United spent £183m in the summer window but they failed to sign Ten Hag's top targets in Harry Kane and Declan Rice.
United's share price dropped by 18.2 per cent in a day earlier this month after The Mail on Sunday reported that the Glazers were going to take the club off the market.
There has always been a strong possibility that the Glazers will not sell, having never officially put the club up for sale.
US hedge fund Elliott Management were also sniffing around, offering investment into the club which could have allowed the Glazers to remain as majority shareholders.
Man Utd fans have protested the Glazers' ownership ever since they completed a leveraged buyout to assume full control of the club in 2005, with discontent towards the family now at an all-time high.
"Man United bidders have always thought there's strong possibility Glazers won't sell," posted Sky Sports News'
Kaveh Solhekol. "Theory that Ratcliffe had won stories were meant to make Qatar bid more, Qatar had won stories were meant to make Ratcliffe bid more, and sale is off stories meant to make both bid more."
Meanwhile, former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has spoken in detail for the first time since losing his job almost two years ago.
Speaking to The Athletic, Solskjaer said United missed out on signing Erling Haaland, Moises Caicedo, Jude Bellingham, Rice and Kane. He also said it was his understanding that Kane wanted to move to United.
According to Solskjaer, signing Cristiano Ronaldo "felt right but turned out wrong". He also said some of his players "weren't as good as their own perception of themselves".
Speaking to The Athletic about players United missed out on when he was in charge, Solskjaer said: "Erling Haaland, before he made his Salzburg debut.
"Declan Rice, who wouldn't have cost what he did in the summer.
"We discussed Moises Caicedo but we felt we needed players ready for there and then.
"We wanted Jude Bellingham badly - he's a Man Utd player but I respect he chose Dortmund.
"I would have signed Kane every day of the week and my understanding was that he wanted to come, but the club didn't have the budget with the financial constraints from Covid-19."
