The battle for the ownership of Manchester United is underway after opening bids were submitted at the weekend.
The two most high-profile bids have come from Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jaber Al Thani.
There is debate ongoing among fans and also driven by the media, over who the best owners would be. The most financially attractive option is viewed as being the Qatari bid.
The offer has pledged to take Manchester United ‘debt free’ and invest in the club’s infrastructure.
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‘Whatever it takes’
The bid from Qatar is highly ambitious from a sporting perspective, pledging to invest heavily in Manchester United.
The Athletic report Sheikh Jassim will ‘spend whatever it takes to return United to the top of European football’.
The report adds investment will also support Manchester United’s women’s team, along with stadium and training ground improvements.
From a sporting and financial perspective, this bid appears to be everything United would desire. The main obstacles are whether pressure from human rights groups will lead to other offers being favoured instead.
There is also a fear that Joel and Avram Glazer do not really want to sell. There is an alternate offer from the Elliott Investment Management, which would provide financing for them to stay.
BBC Sport report it is possible the Glazers seek to retain some kind of control. Manchester United fans have learned to be suspicions of the family’s intentions.
The prospect of the Glazers potentially staying has the potential to cause major protests. Nobody is getting carried away just yet, with the American businessmen staying typically quiet since their decision to invite investment and sale offers last November.
Whether you prefer the offer from Qatar, or Ineos, the one thing Manchester United fans can agree on, is a desire to see the Glazers gone for good.