Man Utd takeover LIVE: Ratcliffe and Qatar bid latest before deadline
Wednesday is set to be a huge day in the modern history of Manchester United.
On-field fortunes have been revived this season by incoming manager Erik ten Hag but there is still hope from supporters that those currently in charge at Old Trafford will soon be removed from their posts.
The Glazer family has received sharp criticism for its running of the club and their high market valuation means there is a limited pool of potential buyers.
Stay tuned here throughout the day for the latest news and updates on the sale of Man Utd.
Sheikh Jassim to make world record bid
BREAKING: Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim will make world record bid for Manchester United this evening 💰 pic.twitter.com/E1W3vB6Gnf
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) March 22, 2023
Sheikh Jassim is expected to make a world record bid for Manchester United on Wednesday evening, Sky Sports report.
Who are the Raine Group?
Man Utd have entrusted the Raine Group, a New York-based investment banking, with brokering the sale of the club.
It previously oversaw Roman Abramovich's exit as Chelsea owner and Todd Boehly' s arrival and claims the value of its current assets sits in excess of $4bn.
Who is Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
Ratcliffe is the chairman and CEO of Ineos, the fourth largest chemicals company in the world. He and INEOS own Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport and Ligue 1 club Nice.
He was previously linked with Chelsea when Roman Abramovich left the west London club, but the Blues were eventually poached by American mogul Todd Boehly.
Who is Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani?
Al Thani is a Qatari billionaire and son of the country's former Prime Minister, Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani.
He was educated in the United Kingdom and has worked as a board member and chairman with various companies and banks.
Wednesday's deadline for Man Utd bids
Reports around the United Kingdom state Man Utd have told prospective owners to submit second, revised bids for the club by 21:00 GMT on Wednesday.
BBC Sport report eight different investors were entertained over a ten-day period which included meetings and tours of Old Trafford and the club's Carrington training complex.
The Raine group - the investment bank advising United and conducting the sale - could soon announce a preferred bidder.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe's warning on Man Utd price
Ratcliffe is one of two bidders to have gone public with their offers alongside Qatar's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.
90min understand the Glazers are holding out for an offer of £6bn but Ratcliffe has already said he will not be pressured into paying more than he believes United is worth.
Why are Man Utd up for sale?
The Glazer family, who took control of the club in 2005, have been the targets of numerous protests from disgruntled Manchester United supporters.
Performances on the pitch have declined ever since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013 and a lack of planning has been attributed to the Glazers, especially with regards to player signings and managerial appointments. It's now fallen on the shoulders of Erik ten Hag to oversee a systemic rebuild.
Old Trafford is in desperate need of modernisation - facilities at the famous stadium are outdated and the club's Carrington training base could do with a facelift - and the Glazers were in initially in favour of joining the European Super League. Uproar from the club's supporters soon put paid to that.
There has also been anger at the Glazers leveraging the club's assets to take out significant loans, hamstringing the club's ability to reinvest. An estimated £1.6bn has been taken out of United during their tenure as owners, in excess of £740m being used for interest on debt, another £147m paying for debt repayments, £166m in dividends and nearly £80m in director remuneration and management fees.
LISTEN NOW
On this edition of The Promised Land, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders and Rob Blanchette discuss why Harry Kane would be a better signing for Man Utd than Napoli marksman Victor Osimhen.
If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!