Manchester United takeover bid; Sheikh Jassim withdraws, paving the way for Sir Jim Ratcliffe

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who had expressed interest in acquiring Manchester United, has faced another setback. Despite holding discussions with the Glazer family to purchase the club in its entirety, his bid proposal has once again been rejected by the Glazers. Consequently, Sheikh Jassim has decided to withdraw from the process.

This significant development was revealed by reputable football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano in a recent tweet. According to Romano, Sheikh Jassim’s final bid was understood to be nearly double the club’s $3.5 billion market valuation, with an additional $1.5 billion earmarked for investment. Sheikh Jassim had presented a fully cash bid, pledging to clear all existing debts and not incur any new ones while seeking to acquire 100% ownership of the club. However, his team has chosen not to comment on this decision, citing “confidentiality restrictions,” but they have indeed confirmed their withdrawal from the process.

In light of Sheikh Jassim’s withdrawal, the door is now open for his rival, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, to potentially make a fresh bid to acquire Manchester United. The saga of the club’s ownership continues, and the football world will be eagerly watching as these developments unfold.