Man Utd takeover battle set to enter new stage with SEVEN prospective buyers still involved

Manchester United will accept a third round of bids from prospective buyers, a new report has claimed.

In November the Glazers announced they were exploring “strategic alternatives” for United - a move which could result in an outright sale of the Premier League giants.

And last month Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted revised world record bids for the Old Trafford club.

However, in the two weeks since the second bids were filed the Glazers’ communications have allegedly gone quiet.

The Independent reported on Tuesday that the United bidders have not yet received any update on the sale process, which has led to “bafflement” in some quarters.

While there is reportedly hope there will be a response this week, Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe had initially anticipated an update within seven days of making their offer.

In contrast, Sportico has claimed United have got back in touch with their bidders, but it’s bad news for those that wanted a quick resolution to the situation.

Man Utd to accept a third round of bids

According to Sportico, the Glazers are ready to accept a third round of bids from prospective buyers, which will be due at the end of the month.

The report adds that seven prospective ownership groups have each received feedback from the Raine Group, the New York-based investment bank that has been hired to oversee the sale.

While Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim are the only bidders who have publicly declared their interest in buying United, there are reportedly five private bids for the club.

Man Utd takeover to affect transfer window

The Independent’s Miguel Delaney claimed the longer the United takeover drags on, the more likely it is to affect Erik ten Hag’s summer transfer plans.

The reporter wrote: “The general feeling is nevertheless that the Glazers are surveying all options to drive the price of the club up, and will only sell if they receive an offer of at least £6biliion.

“That uncertainty has fed into the planning of the team for next season, as any sale or investment could drastically change United's budget.

“Erik ten Hag is intent on signing a striker as his main priority for the summer, but recruitment figures are unable to make cast-iron assurances to the representatives of players or clubs.”

Topics: Football, Manchester United, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.