Stefan Borson
Thu 22 May 2025 19:00, UK
Manchester United have been the subject of takeover speculation again after facing another challenging season.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased a 27.7 per cent stake in the Premier League side in February last year after agreeing a £1.25billion deal with the Glazers.
The INEOS chief was selected as the preferred bidder ahead of Sheikh Jassim, who wanted to secure a full takeover but failed to provide proof of funds.
The Athletic reported on 12 May the Glazers could now hand the Qatari royal a chance to launch a new takeover bid at Old Trafford.
The American family’s drag-along rights will come into effect in around three months, and they will be able to force Ratcliffe to sell his stake to a third party.
However, former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider he doesn’t believe that situation is likely to happen after Sheikh Jassim’s previous failed attempt to buy the club.
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Ratcliffe has increased his stake in Man United to 28.9 per cent after injecting £238million at Old Trafford.
The Glazers, who bought a 98 per cent stake in 2005, have since seen their shareholding diluted to 48.9 per cent.
Man United
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Sheikh Jassim needs £75bn to agree Man United takeover
Borson insisted Sheikh Jassim would potentially need assets worth up to £75billion to complete a full takeover at Old Trafford.
He told Football Insider: “We are talking about somebody who’s never even done an interview.
“It’s a bit weird, isn’t it? If he’s not really a state sort of front, you would need personal assets of let’s say 20 times what he was prepared to spend on United.
“It’s very unlikely he’s going to put more than a fifth of his assets into a football club, so he’d have to be worth 20 times what you would spend on United.
“It would have to be worth $100billion (£75billion) of personal wealth, and he’s never given an interview. Nobody knows much about him at all. People know his father after he’s given interviews.
“I don’t buy it, and clearly the bankers that acted for United on the first round of the takeover didn’t buy it either because they didn’t pursue it.
“You can read all about the rounds of offers and the assurances that they wanted. It’s all in the public documentation that United published around that time.
“I don’t think it’s likely. I don’t expect it to happen.”
Manchester United Directors Joel and Avram Glazer (R) check the team sheet prior to the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match betwee...
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