Ratcliffe Reworking Bid To Buy Manchester United

There’s seemingly no end in sight to the saga of the potential sale of Manchester United by its heavily criticized owners, but one of the remaining bidders is still pushing to acquire the team.

Jim Ratcliffe, who is believed to be battling with Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani should the Glazer family decide to sell Man United, has reworked his $6.25 billion bid to better accommodate concerns from the minority investors who would remain if he bought the club, according to multiple reports.

It’s not the first time Ratcliffe has altered the terms of his bid: The English businessman previously offered the Glazers the ability to keep minority stakes in Man United.

The billionaire has offered to acquire 69% of Man United, which would not benefit the shareholders of the remaining 31% of the club. It’s unclear how Ratcliffe’s new bid would specifically alleviate any concerns.

It’s also unknown if this reworked bid would satisfy the Glazers enough to actually pull the trigger on selling Man United. Despite announcing last November that ownership would explore a sale, United continues to operate as if no changes are imminent. 

Recent activity has included a record $75 million annual shirt sponsorship and $115 million annual kit deal with Adidas. Over the summer, United issued a strong earnings report, further showcasing the club’s intrinsic value.

This year, United was second on Forbes list of most valuable soccer clubs, as other English clubs like Chelsea also soar in value.