‘Stalking horse’ suspicion fuels Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe view on Manchester United takeover delay

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The Manchester United takeover appears no closer to resolution this week with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe awaiting the outcome.

The deadline for bids has long passed, and there is no announcement over which offer for Manchester United will be successful.

The National report both Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are ‘quietly confident’ of success, while Reuters report it is the Qatari bid which is favoured by the Glazers.

Even if that is the case, both parties are being strung along, and according to CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs, this is creating a shared suspicion among the bidders.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim bids are in

Both bidders are offering different types of takeover bids. Sheikh Jassim’s offer is for 100 per cent of the club, while Sky News reports Sir Jim Ratcliffe would just buy the Glazers’ shares, and offer them a path to stay as minority investors.

You would think that by now, the Glazers would know what they want to do, in terms of which style of takeover they prefer.

But they are not giving anything away about their intentions, leading both bidders to reportedly believe that the Glazers are simply using the other to string them along.

Ben Jacobs told the Stretford Paddock Youtube channel: “Qatar believe if all six [Glazer family members] sell, they are going to win. That’s their position.

“They believe Ratcliffe is the ‘stalking horse’ to try and drive up the price.

“The fact they’ve bid twice after the April 29th deadline does tell you Raine have done their job. That’s their perspective.”

He added that the counter-view is that Ratcliffe believe Sheikh Jassim’s offers are being used to extract more money out of them.

“If deep down all six don’t want to go, then Qatar are the ‘stalking horse’ made to believe they are going to win, to get the best possible deal out of Ratcliffe.”

There is no current expectation of when a decision on Manchester United’s future will be made, which is not helping the club’s transfer window activity, or restlessness among supporters.