Sheikh Jassim and his Qatari consortium pull out of race to buy Man Utd

Sheikh Jassim and his Qatari consortium have withdrawn from the process to buy Manchester United.

United were first put up for sale back in November 2022 - sparking huge interest from several parties.

Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe emerged as the two leading candidates to buy the club, with both men submitting several offers to purchase United.

Sheikh Jassim has now reportedly withdrawn from the race, with the sale process into its 11^th month.

ESPN journalist Rob Dawson posted on X: "Sheikh Jassim and his Qatari consortium have withdrawn from the process to buy Man United.

"Sheikh Jassim and his team are not commenting officially but have informed the Glazers and Raine that they have withdrawn from the process.

"Negotiations have taken place in recent days and feeling is that the Glazers' valuation of the club is unrealistic."

CBS Sports' Ben Jacobs confirmed the news, posting on X: "Can confirm Sheikh Jassim has withdrawn from the #MUFC process following final and advanced talks.

"Group offered double the $3.2bn market valuation of the club and feel the Glazers valuation is outlandish."

The shock news follows reports that Ratcliffe is ready to drastically alter his offer for United, potentially allowing the Glazers to remain in control.

As reported by Sky News, Ratcliffe is considering buying some of the Glazers' shares floated on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) - giving him a 25 per cent stake in United.

That would ensure the Glazers remain in charge of the Premier League club.

Meanwhile, Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb has reported that Sheikh Jassim has now set his sights on Serie A giants Inter Milan.

Inter, who were last season's Champions League runners-up to Manchester City, are currently under the ownership of 31-year-old Steven Zhang, who became the youngest chairman in the club's history back in 2018.

However, with a looming loan repayment deadline set for May 2024, questions have been raised about Zhang's long-term future at the club, with the Raine Group said to have been on the hunt for potential buyers.

And Tuttomercatoweb claims (via Team Talk) that Sheikh Jassim has entered the fray as a potential bidder for the Serie A side.

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