Rival bidders for Manchester United have been invited to submit a third offer by the end of April, according to reports. Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jaber Al Thani and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe each lodged a second bid for the Premier League club last month. Although several offers have been received in recent weeks, Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe remain the front‑runners should the Glazers decide to relinquish control of the club they bought in 2005 for £790 million ($980 million).
The Glazers, whose ownership is widely unpopular, announced in November that they were conducting a strategic review, with a sale of the club listed as one possible outcome. The Qatari consortium is reported to have offered about £5 billion for 100 percent ownership, while Ratcliffe—a lifelong United fan—aims to purchase the Glazers’ combined 69 percent stake. The asking price is believed to be around $6 billion, a sum that would make the 20‑time English champions the most expensive sports club in history.
Other potential suitors have also entered the race. Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus joined the bidding last month, and U.S. hedge fund Elliott Investment Management is understood to have submitted a bid for a minority stake. The Glazers have angered many United supporters by saddling the club with substantial debt over the past 18 years. Although they appeared ready to cash out at a huge profit when they invited external investment in November, they may still reject the option of selling a controlling stake.
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