April 28, 2023, 7:31 PM
April 28, 2023, 7:31 PM
The president of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and the top leader of Ineos, Jim Ratcliffe, submitted their third offers on Friday by the English football club Manchester United.
In principle it would be the final offers and the Glazer family must now study the proposals and make a decision on whether to finally get rid of the entity or continue with it.
“We can confirm that Sheikh Jassim has submitted his final offer,” A source close to the matter told AFP, a few minutes after 9:00 p.m. GMT (5:00 p.m. HB), the deadline set by the owners.
According to the sports information chain Sky Sports, andsa offer would be higher than 5,700 million euros (6,330 million dollars), which would be a world record for this type of transaction, although it would be far from the expectations of the owners, the Glazer family, which would be around 7,000 million euros (7,775 million dollars).
“We can’t talk about the details. of the offer at that level,” wrote the source close to AFP on the question of the exact amount offered.
But “beyond the figure for the purchase of the club (the money destined for the sellers), Sheikh Jassim’s offer also includes a project to invest a substantial sum directly in the club’s capital and infrastructure,” he stressed.
The club’s debt, which is close to 700 million euros (775 million dollars), would be fully paid, assured that source.
According to Sky Sports, the other main candidate for the purchase, Jim Ratcliffe, top leader of the petrochemical group Ineos, also submitted a third offer to take control of the club, but not for its total acquisition.
– A divided family? –
The Glazer family, in charge of the emblematic English club for eighteen years, holds 69% of the capital. The remaining 31% is in the hands of investors institutional.
However, the Glazer brothers would be divided on the question of sale. Jim Ratcliffe would be willing to leave 19% to brothers Joel and Avram Glazer, co-chairmen of the club, provided he can ensure he becomes the club’s majority shareholder.
The British businessman already controlled two football clubs, Nice in France and Lausanne in Switzerland. She had warned that he would not pay “crazy amounts that you may later regret.”
The deadline for making a third offer, after those of mid-February and the end of March, had been set by the American Glazer family at 21:00 GMT this Friday (17:00 HB).
In addition to Sheikh Jassim and Jim Ratcliffe, investment funds seemed willing to either seek a minority stake or help the Glazers eventually get out of business. maintain control of the club and finance the infrastructure that the club needs.
Manchester United is currently fourth in the Premier League, occupying virtually the last position within the Champions League area.
He was eliminated by Sevilla in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, but is classified for the final of the FA Cup, where he will face his neighbor Manchester City.
Last February, Manchester United already got a title, the English League Cup, then beating Newcastle in the final.
