Man Utd takeover latest as Glazers stung and Ratcliffe clause emerges

Manchester United owners the Glazers continue to take stick from key figures around the club as their drawn-out takeover process drags on. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani are still waiting to learn the status of their latest proposals, with fans broadly left in the dark regarding who will be next to lead the Red Devils.

The Glazers have become hugely unpopular around Old Trafford since their 2005 takeover. Spearheaded by co-chairmen Joel and Avram, they are set to turn a monster profit if they sell the club over the coming weeks.

Although proposals are yet to meet their hefty £6billion asking price, both Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim are behind bids in the region of £5bn, while American hedge fund Elliott have also thrown their hats into the ring over a minority stake.

With the end in sight for what has been a complex takeover saga, Express Sport takes you through three of the most intriguing storylines at this stage of the process…

Sheikh Jassim target’s brutal message

As if United supporters needed any more reasons to feel excited about the potentially limitless wealth that would come with Sheikh Jassim’s takeover, a report from Bild claims that the Qatari banker would go after the high-flying trio of Kylian Mbappe, Kingsley Coman and Eduardo Camavinga this summer if his bid is successful.

The latter has already made his feelings clear on a move to Old Trafford, however, by brutally claiming that he ‘did not even have to think’ about who to join when he snubbed interest from the Red Devils to sign for Real Madrid in 2021.

“Honestly, the first factor is not money, it is the pleasure of fulfilling a dream I had since I was little,” he said at his unveiling. “When I found out that I could sign for Madrid, I didn’t think about it. The first factor for me was the pleasure of fulfilling the dream of playing for Real Madrid, playing with footballers who are going to teach me a lot.”

Sir Jim Ratcliffe clause

The petrochemicals billionaire’s proposal is generally less popular than Sheikh Jassim’s among United fans, mostly because his offer is for just over half of the club’s shares and would allow the Glazers to maintain a minority stake, and consequently a say in the boardroom.

However, in what will likely come as a relief to supporters, Sky News claim that Ratcliffe’s offer includes a hidden clause that will allow him to complete a full buyout in 2026, paving the way for the Glazers’ permanent exit.