Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani’s £5bn bid to buy Manchester United remains on the table despite takeover talks stalling.
Sheikh Jassim has made five offers to purchase the Premier League club, with the the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) having been among the most public suitors to takeover at Old Trafford.
A drawn-out takeover saga has seen Sheikh Jassim compete with British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe to takeover the Red Devils, though neither party has made sufficient progress ‘amid concerns the Glazer family are not sure they want to sell’.
The American ownership announced Manchester United were for sale in November, but have so far failed to accept the offers on the table.
Sheikh Jassim’s bid was for a complete takeover, while Ratcliffe has proposed a deal that would see the Glazers retain a stake in the club as an investment, with the INEOS chemicals group owner’s offer for around 69% of the club.
Sky Sports are reporting that Sheikh Jassim’s £5bn bid – a debt-free offer submitted on June 7 – remains on the table despite the Glazer family’s failure to make a decision.
Despite reports of an imminent announcement that the Qatari bid had been successful, Sheikh Jassim’s view is that ‘the situation has not changed’ amid doubts over the Glazers’ intentions.
