Over the past few days, Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have publicly confirmed their bids to takeover Manchester United from the Glazer family.
Sheikh Jassim, who is the chairman of the Qatari Islamic Bank, has revealed that he wants complete ownership of the club and would also focus on redeveloping Old Trafford.
On the other hand, Sir Jim with his chemical company INEOS, wants to purchase 69 per cent of United which is owned by the Glazers. This would make him the majority shareholder.
Aside from the duo, there are several more private bids that the Glazers could consider, but it is not a guarantee that the owners will walk away from the club in the near future.
Both Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim have recently indicated that they want to take United back to their ‘glory years‘ and their comments are currently viewed as implied criticism towards the Glazers.
Investment firm Raine Group, who are in charge of the ongoing process, have instructed investors to avoid such vitriol statements while urging them against making public statements.
This provides a hint that the Glazers may not be looking for a way out of the club. The recent entry of Elliott Investment Management into the race could change the entire dynamic.
The US-based hedge fund were recently owners of AC Milan between 2018 and 2022 and helped them win the Scudetto last season. They went on to sell the club to RedBird Capital Partners.
While Elliott are not looking for a complete takeover of United, they are willing to help in debt financing and are also prepared to discuss part ownership which could benefit the Glazers.
In November last year, the Glazers talked about strategic alternatives including partial investment. It won’t come as a surprise if Elliott Investment Management take a minority stake at United.
