According to Sportico, the sale of Manchester United is taking another turn. The Raine Group, which was hired by the Glazer family to manage the sale, will reportedly accept a third round of bids from potential ownership groups.
Seven groups, including those led by Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, have received feedback on their bids and have been invited to submit new offers.
The bids submitted by Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim were around $6.2 billion, which falls short of the Glazers’ asking price of $7.5 billion. The family is reportedly divided on whether to sell the entire club, with four siblings in favor of a full sale and two others looking to sell only a minority stake or not sell at all.
Read more: Manchester United takeover: A bidding war is on
The two leading bidders who want to buy out the Glazers – Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe – are both expected to put in final offers before the deadline.
Sheikh Jassim is believed to be “willing to overpay” for United with a figure closer to the Glazers’ valuation, according to Skysports.
It was previously understood the Qatari bidders were determined not to pay above the odds for the club, but that stance softened after his delegation visited Old Trafford in March.
Qatar is no stranger to investing in European football clubs. Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) owns Paris Saint-Germain, one of the most successful teams in French football, and has made significant investments in other sports ventures, including the beIN Media Group and the Qatar Stars League.
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