The never-ending Manchester United takeover saga has taken yet another twist, as new details emerged regarding Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s bid for the club. According to reliable CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, the Sheikh’s offer, which included debt and £0.8bn in pledged investment, has led to confusion. The Glazer family will not take the pledged investment into account and will only consider the actual offer for the shares, which means that Sheikh Jassim’s bid is only around £4bn ($5bn). This is significantly lower than the often reported £6bn ($7.5bn) price tag and would make Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid, CEO of INEOS, superior throughout the takeover process.
Despite the Qatari offer falling short of expectations, Jacobs reports that the asking price for the club may actually be lower than the often quoted £6bn ($7.5bn), with the Glazers potentially considering an outright sale for between £4.8bn ($6bn) and £5.6bn ($7bn). This could bring the gap between the Glazers and Sheikh Jassim down and allow for exciting plans to be put in place for the future of Manchester United.
The potential new owners, the Nine Two Foundation, have said they want to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch, with plans to invest in the football teams, training centre, stadium, wider infrastructure, fan experience and local communities. There are even reports of superstar signings like Neymar and Jude Bellingham on the horizon, which would undoubtedly bring back the fear factor around Old Trafford.
As the takeover saga continues, fans will have to wait and see if Sheikh Jassim increases his offer to try and eclipse Ratcliffe and get closer to the Glazers’ asking price. For now, supporters of the Red Devils can take solace in the fact that the potential sale price may be lower than originally thought, bringing the possibility of a new era at the club that bit closer.
