Ineos billionaire and hopeful potential Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already given notice of his demands that he be given full control of transfers the moment his bid is accepted, it has been reported.
Ratcliffe is one of two parties, alongside Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, now in the lead in the bidding process as the Glazer family is supposedly seriously considering selling the Old Trafford club after having been the highly controversial owners for 18 years.
It is understood that the Ineo billionaire’s bid for the club had been submitted with a demand he be handed the recruitment reins the moment his bid to buy the club is given the green light, reports The Telegraph.
Likewise it has been alleged that Sheikh Jassim has also submitted a similar request for influence the moment his respective bid is accepted, and is even said to want further oversight over the club.
Such requests are also claimed to be an indication the process is expected to drag on into the summer or even possibly longer than that, although the report also states that such requests are unlikely to be granted as the Glazers are most likely to hold onto control until the entire deal is officially sealed in black and white.
Wider legal and logistical issues are also expected with such requests apart from the commercial complications potentially faced by the Glazers should a request of this nature be granted.
The situation has been compared to that of an acquisition of a major company, with the report highlighting that approval rights are often requested to ensure accounts are not run dry before the changing of hands takes place.
Third and final bids were submitted last week, with Ratcliffe believed to value the club higher than Sheikh Jassim, who for much of the process had appeared to be the favorite in the running.
Ratcliffe’s bid, in its current form, would see the Glazer brothers, Joel and Avram, remain stakeholders in the club.
Sources close to the process – under the administration of US merchant bank Raine Group – say the prospect may well prove to be the preferred option with the two Glazer brothers who are the members of the family most-heavily involved in the running of the club given an opportunity to stay.
It is also believed that the final portion currently owned by various investment groups would also remain in place.
Oddly though, after the long and drawn out process that has seen Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim submit three bids, doubts have arisen as to whether the American family would seriously sell the club, which has led to widespread protests being seen ahead of United’s 1-0 victory over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday. Banners clamoring for the Glazers to sell the club have been dominating at every game this season after the statement issued last November which said a sale of the club was being explored.
Gary Neville, the outspoken former captain and defender of United, described the process as ‘shoddy’ last month as he tweeted: “They’re making it up as they go along! Shoddy way to run a sale process.
“They need to get out by end of May to allow the new owner a fighting chance to impact the next transfer window and get moving!”
Neville continued: “Taking it to a 3rd round (of bidding) is just classless. The market has obviously not given them the answer they want!
“It’s like they’ve made a pact to each other that they won’t go for less than £1bn each family member. (5 of them). If they stay in after all this it will be toxic!”