Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim ‘increasingly uncertain’ the Glazers ‘still plan to sell’

Man Utd bidder Sheikh Jassim is not getting good vibes from the Glazers with the Qatari yet to get a response to his fifth bid, according to reports.

The Sheikh and his Nine Two Foundation made a fifth and final offer for the club four weeks ago with the Qatari banker issuing a take-it-or-leave deal after months of negotiations.

Some observers have interpreted the submission of two additional bids from Sheikh Jassim as an indication that the rival offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos is preferred by the Glazers.

However, sources close to the Qatari say he is simply keen to bring the matter to a swift conclusion with a crucial summer transfer window for Man Utd coming up.

There have been claims in Qatari outlet Al Raya that a purchase contract could be signed by the Glazers ‘within the next few hours’ as Sheikh Jassim looks to take control of the club.

But, in stark contrast, The Guardian insists that Sheikh Jassim is now ‘increasingly uncertain whether the Glazers will sell’ with the Qatari ‘yet to receive a response to a fifth bid of about £6bn lodged four weeks ago in a process that has reached an eighth month’.

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Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand said in mid-June that the takeover was about to go through and now he has explained the hold up over a deal.

Ferdinand told his FIVE YouTube channel: “I had some news from a very good source, my great source at Manchester United. Things were running quite smoothly and it was going down the right path but then obviously [it hit a bump].

“I think the big issue is, when you’re dealing with a group of people rather than an individual, it makes things very complex and difficult at times. You’re not dealing with one individual with the Glazers – I think Jim Ratcliffe came out and said it.

“That’s been the issue behind the scenes, I didn’t want to come out and say it, but you’re dealing with siblings in the Glazer family who are there to make a collective decision.

“I don’t think one person can just make a decision on their own, so therefore that makes it very difficult to say yes immediately just like that [clicks fingers]. It’s a process that they have to go through.

“I think that we all assume that Jim Ratcliffe and his group are totally out of it but I don’t think that’s the case, I think they haven’t been told that they’re gone and that they’re done with in this.

“I think Sheikh Jassim and that Qatar bid is obviously there and it’s strong. But at the moment it’s kind of down to the Glazers to make a decision together and go, ‘Right this is what we want to do’.

“But I think maybe one of the problems has been, from what I hear, that some of them want to remain involved and some aren’t happy with the number, and then it’s just general negotiations around that as well on little details.”