Posted by As a result of the withdrawal of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar from the competition to purchase Manchester United from the Glazer family, the takeover of the club is expected to be completed within the next week.
Sheikh Jassim's decision to drop out of the contest over the weekend made it possible for British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe to purchase a 25 percent shareholding from the Glazers, who own 69 percent of Manchester United. The Glazers are selling the shareholding to Ratcliffe.
Despite the fact that Manchester United's current market worth is approximately £2.6 billion, it has been stated that Ratcliffe, who is now the favorite to buy the club, will pay between £1.3 billion and £1.5 billion for the stake.
It is well knowledge that Ratcliffe was “more savvy in his deal execution” than his competitor, Sheikh Jassim, who desired a complete purchase of the Premier League club from its American owners, the Glazer family. Ratcliffe was the successful bidder in this situation.
The Glazer family reportedly paid $790 million to purchase Manchester United in 2005 as part of a highly leveraged transaction. This agreement, which has been criticized for piling debt onto the club, was reported by DAILY POST.
Since the Glazer family assumed control of Manchester United in 2003, the team has been victorious in a total of 13 competitions, garnering five Premier League championships and the Champions League in 2008. They competed in the Champions League finals in 2009 and 2011, but both times they were defeated by Barcelona.
According to financial analyst Kieran Maguire, who made this revelation a few months ago, the Glazer family has only spent 94 million pounds over the past decade to improve the club's infrastructure. This information was provided by Mr. Maguire.
According to the Daily Post, former Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo was unhappy with the facilities at the club prior to the mutual decision to end his contract last year. Ronaldo's contract was terminated by mutual consent.
There have been other instances where it has been claimed that Ronaldo has voiced his dissatisfaction to senior club executives about the condition of the amenities at Old Trafford and Carrington.
On the other hand, in November 2022, the Glazer family made the decision to place Manchester United on the market.
However, the process of taking control of the Red Devils has been dragging on for a number of months.
Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe were the two most serious candidates to purchase the giants of the Premier League.
But as a result of the most recent turn of events, Ratcliffe is close to finalizing a deal to purchase a twenty-five percent stake in Manchester United. If this goes through, he will be able to exert influence over the club's athletic operations.
It is anticipated that Ratcliffe's application will be approved within the next few days; if this occurs, the 70-year-old might be in charge of Manchester United's transfer activities during the January window.
It is anticipated that the Ineos chairman will make substantial efforts to bring supporters onside and win over the fanbase by leaning on his local experience. At the same time, he hopes to make Manchester United “the number one club in the world once again.”
Stanley Smart, a sports analyst, gave the following response to the question of how the possible takeover could affect the fortunes of Man United both on and off the pitch: “Well, with the recent happenings regarding Manchester United, if Ratcliffe finally succeeds in his proposal of acquiring 25% of the club from the Glazers, then it would be a good one.
“I feel that it would be a new path for the club and their followers if the terms of the arrangement could see him have absolute control of the club's sporting business without interference from the American owners.
“For a good number of years, the Glazers have served as the head of the company. Personally, I think a full takeover is the best option, but as of right now, they are not prepared to leave the club.
“I believe it would go a long way toward changing the club's fortunes both on and off the pitch if the Glazers would not interfere and allow Ratcliffe to run sporting matters. This would be a huge step in the right direction.” My opinion is that now is the moment for a change. Ratcliffe is a native Briton, therefore he is familiar with the culture of the club's fans. The crowd, the players, the coaching staff, and the manager would all be affected by his presence.
“Also, he would bring that stability to Old Trafford, which is something that currently appears to be lacking there.” The off-field discourse needs to be brought back onto the pitch for Man United, much like it was during the time of Sir Alex Ferguson. The supporters are hoping for success out on the field.
“They will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world,” said Sir Alex Ferguson about Manchester United. In the meanwhile, the Glazers have not done a terrible job, as seen by the fact that the club continues to enjoy success both on and off the field, but for me. I believe that this is the appropriate moment for someone else to take charge, and I believe that Ratcliffe would have a positive impact on the club in terms of the sports it plays.
When asked if Sheikh Jassim's deal would have been a better contract for Manchester United, Smart responded, “Yes, to some extent. I believe Jassim's deal would be able to clear the club's debt, make major structural changes both off and on the pitch, and also invest a lot of money in the club.” Smart was referring to the fact that Jassim's deal would have been able to invest a lot of money in the club.
“However, one of my main concerns is whether or not he will be able to recruit the appropriate individuals to handle the club's sporting operations in a way that will put Manchester United back on the map as one of the top clubs in the world.
“Also, Jassim's deal would have been a big deal for the Glazers, but as I mentioned earlier, the American owners still wanted a stake in the club,” he continued.
“However, I also believe that if given full control of sporting matters, Ratcliffe would do a better job because Man United requires leadership that enables a fairer, more inclusive, and diverse game.” “However, I also believe that if given full control of sporting matters, Ratcliffe would do a better job.”
They require leadership that upholds the club's values while simultaneously fostering a constructive atmosphere and culture.
“They also need someone that is willing to make tough decisions to prevent an erosion in the club's public image, and Ratcliffe is capable of offering these things to the club,” the author writes. “Ratcliffe is capable of offering these things to the club.”