Qatar Islamic Bank chairman Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has submitted a world-record bid to purchase Premier League club Manchester United, according to stunning reports.
Sheikh Jassim and British billionaire and INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe are considered the two leading favourites to complete a sensational takeover of United.
The Glazer family, who revealed last November they would consider selling United, are believed to be holding out for an eye-watering price tag of around £6bn.
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United had a 9pm deadline in place on Wednesday for the latest round of bids as part of a potential sale of the club, with Sheikh Jassim now lodging a world-record offer.
According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, the 44-year-old Qatar Islamic Bank chairman submitted his bid before United’s 9pm deadline.
He added that Sheikh Jassim, who is the son of former Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, believes it’s the “best bid for club, fans and the community.”
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Sheikh Jassim’s representatives were at Old Trafford last week as part of ongoing talks, while boyhood United fan Ratcliffe was also spotted at the Theatre of Dreams for negotiations.
According to reports, Ratcliffe is expected to submit an improved offer in a bid to rival Sheikh Jassim’s takeover attempts of United.
The current world-record fee for a sports club came last June after the Walton-Penner Family Group, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton, completed a staggering £3.71bn takeover of the Denver Broncos.
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Ratcliffe, who previously attempted to buy Chelsea in 2022 for a whopping £4.25bn, recently claimed that he had no intention of paying a “stupid” fee for Premier League side United.
“How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house? It’s not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint,” he told The Wall Street Journal.
“What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently.”
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Topics: Manchester United, Premier League, England, Football
Adnan Riaz