Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand believes the Sheikh Jassim’s takeover of the Premier League giants may now be ‘imminent’ in a major boost to Erik ten Hag’s summer plans.
Are we entering endgame?
Is the Glazer’s health bar running out? The final, end of level boss in Erik ten Hag’s desire to rejuvenate European football’s greatest sleeping giant about to be vanquished?
The Times reported over the weekend that Joel and Avram’s Reign of Incompetency could be just days away from ending; Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim entering advanced talks with the Raine Group.
Which party eventually crosses the line first, meanwhile, depends on what the Glazers really want. Do the Manchester United owners want to hang around; the leeches sinking their teeth into a fat, juicy vein for years to come, albeit in a minority shareholder role.
Or will the spending power of the Qatari’s prove decisive?
Ferdinand believes Manchester United takeover ‘imminent’
Rio Ferdinand, speaking on his FIVE YouTube channel, claims to have heard from a ‘good source’ that it will be Jassim, rather than Ratcliffe, expelling Manchester United’s soul-sucking dementors from Old Trafford once and for all.
“Man United takeover is imminent,” Ferdinand says.
“We’re hearing the Qatari bid is the one that has taken over. It’s the one that’s going to be accepted, and the one that is going to go through. Hallejuhah man!
“We can’t wait. Please let this be true. Look how long this has gone on for. The Glazers have dug their heels in.
“I just wanted this to be sorted out and resolved before the transfer window kicks in. We’re getting to this point now where the transfer window is open and moves are starting to happen. There’s big stuff going on.”
‘Further along than it appears’
The excellent United Muppetiers claimed on Wednesday that ‘there has been a lot more dialogue with a buyer with people in the club’ in recent days. The implication being that, whoever wins the race, they are already speaking to those at Old Trafford.
“I feel as though a decision has been made already, to a large degree,” the Muppetiers add. “I do feel, personally, a decision has been made (which party to sell to), I think it’s further along than it appears.”
The Muppetiers stopped short of indicating who the winners will be. Or who the winners are, perhaps.
But Ferdinand is clearly expecting Ten Hag to backed in the market by those Qatari millions.
“The takeover bid from the Qataris is something we’ve been waiting for for a long time. Everyday I’ve woken up – like all Man United supporters – thinking ‘Please tell me the news is going to come today’,” says the 2008 Champions League winner.
“We are hearing that it’s close. We are hearing that it’s a matter of days, if not hours. So I’m looking forward to that. And then we can have a plan for this window.
“Once this bids go through and the sale is made, the players currently at the club will have a new lease of life let alone the players coming in. So fingers crossed this information is really true. I’ve got it from a good source that it is true.”“
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