The Glazer family have reportedly pulled the plug on their decision to sell Manchester United and will soon take the club off the market.
The widely unpopular owners first announced in November that they would explore "strategic alternatives" to their stewardship, including a minority stake from investors or a full sale.
The decision was met with elation from a large portion of the Man United fanbase, who have consistently protested against the Americans' ownership for nearly two decades now.
INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani quickly emerged as the two leading candidates for a takeover, but several months down the line, both bidders are no closer to winning the race.
Despite lodging a handful of offers for the club, both Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim have been left in the dark regarding the next stage of the process, although the latter was seen as the favourite to assume office.
© Reuters
While the Qatari billionaire is looking to complete a full takeover of Man United, Ratcliffe is alleged only interested in a controlling stake, which would see the Glazers remain involved in some capacity.
It was previously suggested that an agreement was unlikely to have been reached in this calendar year, but according to the Daily Mail, the Glazers are now set to abandon their plans for a sale altogether.
The report states that the American owners had originally envisioned a wide-scale bidding war between multiple interested parties, but that did not materialise as Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim went head-to-head.
Furthermore, the Glazers were reportedly hoping to receive as much as £10bn through a full sale, but having failed to attract such offers, they are prepared to remove Man United from the market - much to the chagrin of the club's supporters.
There have also been claims of internal conflict within the family, as Avram Glazer and Joel Glazer were hesitant to agree to a full sale, whereas Bryan Glazer, Edward Glazer, Kevin Glazer and Darcie Glazer wanted to sever all ties.
© Reuters
However, the current incumbents are understood to be considering another round of takeover talks in 2025, by which point the family hope that certain factors will help them attract higher bids.
With the Club World Cup soon expanding to 32 teams and the imminent 2026 World Cup to be held in the USA, the Glazers believe that a sale between £7bn to £10bn in a couple of years time is not unrealistic.
Whether Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe are willing to wait around for two more years is another question entirely, though, and Man United fans staged a fresh protest against the owners following their side's win over Nottingham Forest last month.
Amid the continued uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation, Man United brought five new faces to the club permanently this summer in Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir, as well as securing loan moves for Sergio Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat.
Ben Knapton
