A fresh insight into the race to secure ownership of Premier League giants Manchester United has been provided late on Saturday evening.
The subject of the potential changing of hands at Old Trafford, of course, has taken its place front and centre in the English media headlines once more over the course of the last week.
This comes after the two leading candidates – Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe – submitted what are expected to represent their final respective offers.
After the former was initially viewed as favourite to strike a deal, it was subsequently revealed that Ratcliffe had in fact leapfrogged Al Thani, owing to his openness to agree to part-ownership terms with the Glazer brothers.
As alluded to above, though, on Saturday, a fresh twist has been confirmed.
This comes by way of a revelation on the part of Sky News that, in fact, Ratcliffe’s proposal features ‘put-and-call options’.
‘Sources said this weekend that Sir Jim’s offer for majority ownership would include the put-and-call options, which if triggered would either force the Glazers to sell their remaining shares to him, or force him to acquire them, at specified future dates.’
Such a deal would no doubt go a long way towards pacifying those of a Manchester United persuasion desperate for their side’s current owners to definitively cut ties with the club.
🔺 NEW: Sir Jim Ratcliffe appears to have changed his position on not necessarily owning all of Manchester United after it was reported that he would attempt a full takeover after three years if he wins the £5 billion bidding war https://t.co/rTgk6nf8CT
— Times Sport (@TimesSport) May 6, 2023
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