Sir Jim Ratcliffe considers fresh Manchester United takeover approach

New potential Manchester United owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is considering a fresh approach in his takeover bid.

It has been an extremely long and drawn-out saga off the pitch for Man United in a period of time when they desperately need clarity and stability to ensure they start to thrive on the pitch at Old Trafford.

The Glazers were reportedly open to selling Man United earlier this year but it would have to be on their terms and they set a price tag of around £7 billion, but neither Sir Jim Ratcliffe nor Sheikh Jassim have got to that point yet.

However, despite the hope of a takeover being concluded prior to the summer transfer window, nothing has come to fruition, and now reports have even suggested that the Glazers may either not sell, or just part ways with a minority stake.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe interested in a minority Man United takeover

Both interested parties were seemingly only keen on a majority and complete takeover of the club so that they wouldn’t have to work with the Glazers, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has now reportedly changed his tune.

The current Nice owner and British billionaire has seemingly looked at how much of a deadlock he and Sheikh Jassim are in with Man United and has grown frustrated with the lack of progress so is willing to make a different kind of offer.

Despite only wanting a majority takeover a few months ago, Ratcliffe is now reportedly readying a new bid to just buy a minority stake in his boyhood club, which would allow him to at least get one foot in the door at Old Trafford.

Why Qatar may not follow Ratcliffe’s Man United bid

It would be a bitter blow for Ratcliffe, and Man United fans if he was only to acquire a minority stake in the club as it would mean the Glazers still get the biggest and likely final say on all footballing operations, something that’s been hated and publicly criticised by the media and supporters for years.

If Ratcliffe does firm up this report and go for a minority bid in the coming weeks or months, then it remains to be seen what that would mean for Sheikh Jassim’s majority takeover bid, but it would be unlikely that he would stoop to the same level as Ratcliffe and settle for just a minority.

Given the geopolitical games at play in football involving Middle Eastern countries owning teams, it’s likely that Qatar would not be happy just owning a minority while the likes of Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia are the major owners of clubs such as Manchester City and Newcastle United respectively.