Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim has reportedly made an improved offer to buy Manchester United.
It has been almost three weeks since the deadline for final bids passed, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe having submitted improved offers to gain control of the Old Trafford outfit.
It has been reported since that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid was the frontrunner, with the British Billionaire offering to buy 50 per cent of the club, while allowing Avram and Joel Glazer to retain some of their shares.
Despite claims that a decision over the future of Manchester United would be made within days of the April 28th deadline, there has seemingly been little progress in a potential transfer of power.
Now, according to a number of reports this evening, Sheikh Jassim has now submitted an improved bid as he is seemingly determined to win the race.
The Mail say that the Qatari banker has submitted a ‘take it or leave it’ offer to the Glazers, saying that their final bid is ‘significantly improved’, though would still value the club less than that of Ratcliffe’s bid.
They do say though that the bid would clear the club of their debts and ‘contains the promise of significant investment in both the playing squad and the upgrade or rebuild of Old Trafford.’
This report is backed up by the Times, who add that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid could be worth close to the Glazers reported asking price of £6bn if he were to complete the ‘full purchase of the club in the next two to four years’.
Meanwhile, the Guardian say that Qatars latest bud would value the club at around £5.5bn, a £500m upgrade on their previous ‘final’ bid, and add that it is ‘unclear’ as to whether Sir Jim will respond with an improved offer of his own.
It has long been reported that the Glazers have been hoping for a bidding war between rival bidders, with co-owner Avram Glazer having remained in London on Monday having attended the Women’s FA Cup final at the weekend.
