As the sale of Manchester United continues to drag on, a journalist has revealed what rival Premier League clubs are saying about the protracted takeover.
Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has submitted several offers for the Premier League club, with his fifth and final bid believed to be worth around £5bn - with a further £1bn of investment pledged.
He faces competition from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who unlike Sheikh Jassim – who is trying to buy 100 per cent of the club – is only looking to take a controlling stake of more than 50 per cent.
But more than eight months since the process first began, Raine Group - which is handling the sale on behalf of the Glazer family - is yet to confirm if a bid has been successful, or even name a preferred bidder.
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The delay has led to speculation the Glazers could change their mind and choose to keep a controlling stake in United.
It appeared last month as though Sheikh Jassim was on the verge of completing a takeover of United when reports claimed Raine were set to negotiate exclusivity with the Qatari bid.
Conflicting reports claimed this was not the case. However, former United defender Rio Ferdinand fuelled rumours Sheikh Jassim was set to win the takeover battle after posting a video update to his followers. Check it out below.
Premier League 'gossip' about Sheikh Jassim's bid
The Athletic journalist Matt Slater has now revealed that executives of rival Premier League clubs also expected Sheikh Jassim to win the takeover battle.
"The Premier League held its annual general meeting that week and the gossip among rival club executives at the breakfast buffet was that Sheikh Jassim was in front," he wrote.
It is now a month since those rumours emerged and a preferred bidder has still not been named, prompting speculation Sheikh Jassim or Ratcliffe could lose patience with Raine and the Glazers and withdraw their bid.
However, BBC journalist Simon Stone says both parties are still determined to push ahead with a takeover.
When asked if Ratcliffe was still in the race amid claims his bid is 'dead in the water', Stone told The United Stand: "I think he is. My understanding is that nothing is off the table.
"We all get told things, there can be frustration from one side or the other. There can be a belief that this is going to happen, or that is going to happen.
"I was told a rumour the other day that Sheikh Jassim was about to pull out. I checked that, and that was just dismissed."
Topics: Manchester United, Football, Premier League, Sheikh Jassim
Rory O'Callaghan