Man Utd 'to be sold for £7.2bn-7.3bn' as Sheikh Jassim breakthrough revealed

Manchester United will be sold for between £7.2billion and £7.3billion, it has been claimed.

Some nine months after United’s controversial owners the Glazers announced they were exploring “strategic alternatives” that could result in a sale, a resolution appears to be on the horizon.

Bids from Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British petrochemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe have remained on the table as the American owners prepare to reach a decision on the future of the Premier League outfit.

And after a drawn-out process, it has been claimed that Sheikh Jassim is set to be announced as United’s next owner. Indeed, earlier this month the Sun alleged the Qatari had made a breakthrough and was set to win the takeover race.

Meanwhile, while the Sun said the club would cost £6billion, another party has reported that the price will reach a world record £7.2million to £7.3million.

The latter figure was quoted by Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman when speaking about the surging costs of football clubs in the Premier League.

Man Utd takeover

While speaking about the price of Premier League clubs, Dalman claimed that United’s sale is on the cusp of being announced for an enormous figure.

Speaking to the BBC, Dalman said: "I've been meeting a lot with US private equity funds and the valuation of football clubs is going through the roof.

"Americans are determined to come into this market quite heavily.

"I spoke to the owners of Leeds when we were there, and Championship clubs are valued at three times their revenue, give or take.

“Manchester United are going to announce their sale at £7.2bn-7.3bn, which is roughly 10 times their revenue.

"Two or three years ago, we might have been talking about selling Cardiff for about £20m or £30m but now you're going to have to look at £90m or £100m.

“Valuations [of Championship clubs] have all stretched. In terms of the money burned, you have a better chance of getting it back in this environment than you ever have before."