Manchester United owners the Glazer family haven’t yet ‘shown their hand’ in who they would prefer to take control of the club, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
What’s the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?
As per The Independent, prospective bidders for Manchester United are hopeful that a preferred candidate to take control of the club will be known by this week as the Glazer family deliberate over their options.
Sky Sports report that Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani submitted an improved fourth bid last week to try and buy the club worth close to £5 billion.
The outlet state that the offer falls short of the Glazer’s £6 billion valuation; however, it includes proposals to wipe £1 billion of club debt and separate money has been put aside to improve infrastructure at the Premier League giants.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS are also in the running and The Sun detail that his bid would allow both Joel and Avram Glazer to stay on at the club as minority stakeholders potentially.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that the Glazers need to make a clear stance of who they would prefer to see having control of Manchester United:
Jacobs told FFC: “The key thing in all of this is exactly the same really, as it has been since November and that is that the Glazers need to show their hand. At the moment, it doesn’t appear that they’re ready to do so, even though there is that back and forth behind the scenes. There is progress and the groups are certainly engaging.”
What now for Manchester United?
Lining up a strong finish to 2022/23 followed by earmarking transfer targets for the summer will be on the mind of Erik Ten Hag, who will hope to see out the season with an FA Cup trophy to add to his Carabao Cup victory and confirmed top-four finish at Old Trafford.
In terms of potential arrivals in the off-season, Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice have all been shortlisted by the Red Devils, as per Sky Sports.
All three players linked represent an exciting level of ambition from Manchester United surrounding the level they want to reach under Ten Hag and the report states that the Dutchman thinks they are the ‘type of characters’ that he wants in the dressing room.
Manchester United are in a good place and will hope that their ownership situation can be resolved to equip the club with the tools moving forward to challenge for the Premier League title.
