Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Bin Al‑Thani and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe each submitted a second bid for the Premier League club last month. In recent weeks several offers have been received, but Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe remain the front‑runners should the Glazer family decide to relinquish control of the club they purchased in 2005 for £790 million ($980 million).
The Glazers, whose ownership is widely unpopular, announced in November that they were undertaking a strategic review, with a sale of the club listed as one possible outcome. The Qatari consortium has reportedly offered about £5 billion for 100 percent ownership, while Ratcliffe—a lifelong United fan—aims to acquire the Glazers’ combined 69 percent stake. The Americans’ 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.
Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus entered the race last month, and U.S. hedge fund Elliott Investment Management is understood to have bid for a minority stake. However, Zilliacus announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing, calling the process a “farce.” “Jim Ratcliffe, Sheikh Jassim and myself were ready to negotiate a deal to buy United. Instead the Glazers chose to start a new round,” he wrote on Twitter. “I will not participate in a farce set up to maximize profit for the sellers at the expense of Manchester United.”
Zilliacus added that the bidding had become a “farce,” accusing the Glazers of showing no respect for the club. He warned that the delays would make it very difficult for any new owner to build a winning team for next season. The Glazers have angered many United supporters by saddling the club with huge debts over the past 18 years. Although they appeared ready to cash out at an enormous profit when they invited external investment in November, they may still reject the option of selling a controlling stake.
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