This week, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani made a take-it-or-leave-it upgraded fifth and final offer of no more than £6 billion to purchase Manchester United. The Qatari banker was set to end the sale process on Friday if his offer was rejected.
The lengthy procedure being managed by the Glazers, who placed the club up for sale in November, has irritated Sheikh Jassim and his advisors. According to information provided to The Guardian, he has decided that Friday is the deadline for any additional engagement, suggesting that if the bid is rejected, he would leave. It’s crunch time, according to people close to Sheikh Jassim.
Sheikh Jassim is also aware that if he does become the owner, it should happen as quickly as possible to offer Erik ten Hag the best opportunity to bolster his team through free agency.
If Sheikh Jassim’s self-imposed Friday deadline is not met, it is uncertain whether he would actually withdraw his involvement given the drawn-out process’s delayed deadlines. His most recent bid, like his earlier ones, is for 100% of the club.
One explanation is that the revised offer is his last-ditch effort to acquire ownership because he fears losing out to Jim Ratcliffe, the only other publicly disclosed bidder who wants to buy a controlling stake in United. The owner of Ineos, Ratcliffe, wants to buy around 51% of United, potentially leaving one or more Glazers with a minority stake. According to reports, Ineos and the Glazers have discussed the structure of such an arrangement, but it is believed that the firm does not think a deal is close at hand.
Because it would wipe out a debt of almost £1 billion (€1.16 billion), is in cash, offers a separate fund for player, infrastructure, and other investment requirements, and provides a high value for each share, the Sheikh believes that his offer is the better one.
Manchester United has chosen Kim Min-jae, a centre defender for Napoli, as their top target to bolster their defence. The release clause for the South Korean international will take effect in July, and United is in touch with his agents.
Next week, when Maguire and Ten Hag are scheduled to talk about his future, they both agree that it would be better to part ways. Maguire has slipped down the United hierarchy, and the pursuit of Kim is yet another sign that he has other options for the future. The 30-year-old wants consistent football because he thinks it will increase his chances of keeping his spot in England.
Van de Beek will investigate his transfer possibilities after struggling to hold down a position, moving on loan to Everton, and missing the majority of this season due to injury. Van van Beek recognises that the time has come to move on and anticipates being healthy for preseason practise as United looks to bolster its midfield and is in talks to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea.
Henderson will soon make a permanent move to Nottingham Forest, where he spent last season’s loan campaign. -Guardian