Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is prepared to raise his offer for Manchester United (Picture: Getty)
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is prepared to increase his £4.5billion bid for Manchester United in order to see off competition from the likes of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The Qatari investor submitted his interest in the club last Friday, with a reported offer of around £4.5bn.
However, he faces competition from Britain’s richest man, Ratcliffe, to purchase a controlling stake in the Red Devils.
The ‘soft’ deadline was established to simply garner interest in the club but bidders were encouraged to submit offers as long with their proposals.
Once through to the next round, bidders will be able to submit an official offer once they’re given a full view of the club’s finances and have held a further round of talks over a takeover.
Manchester United’s owners, the Glazers, want north of £5bn (Picture: AFP)
Sheikh Jassim has already committed to wiping the club’s £570m debt, as well as investing in the club’s stadium and the local area around Old Trafford.
However, Ratcliffe’s proposal is appealing to United fans given he is a boyhood supporter of the club and has vowed to restore the ‘Manchester’ in Manchester United, which is a dig at the club’s foreign ownership.
