Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is reportedly closing in on the purchase of Manchester United, with an announcement allegedly potentially being made 'in the next few hours'.
Last November, the Glazers, who currently own Man United, made it clear that they were open to selling the club, and Sheikh Jassim has emerged as the favourite to complete a takeover alongside Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Last month, Ratcliffe was thought to be the clear favourite, with the British billionaire potentially being named as the club's preferred bidder.
However, the situation has changed of late, with Sheikh Jassim now believed to be firmly in the driving seat, as the Qatari banker looks to complete a 100% takeover.
According to Al Raya, the purchase contract could allegedly be signed by the Glazer family 'within the next few hours', with Sheikh Jassim's representatives believing that a deal is almost complete, which would bring the saga to a close.
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The total cost of the deal to buy Man United could reportedly reach £6bn, which is believed to be the figure that the Glazers have been working towards since last November.
Ratcliffe is only believed to be looking for a controlling stake at this moment in time, with a full takeover of the club potentially being completed after three years.
The structure of Ratcliffe's proposal would seemingly have seen the Glazers stay at Old Trafford as minority shareholders, which had allegedly been favoured by at least two of the siblings.
However, Sheikh Jassim is looking to complete a full 100% takeover, and the Qatari has also made it clear that he would be willing to make additional funds available to improve Old Trafford and the club's Carrington training complex.
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Man United are still pressing ahead with their plans for the summer window, with Chelsea's Mason Mount on the verge of completing a move, having now undergone a medical.
Mount has already revealed that he is leaving Chelsea this summer, and he is set to become Man United's first signing of the summer window.
A recent report claimed that there might now only be £65m left in the budget to sign a new goalkeeper and centre-forward, but Sheikh Jassim's arrival could increase the money available for transfers.
Man United won their first trophy in six years last season, lifting the EFL Cup at the end of February, while they will be back in the Champions League next term after finishing third in the 2022-23 Premier League table.
Former Red Devils captain Rio Ferdinand recently said that he is expecting Sheikh Jassim to become the club's new owner in the near future.
Matt Law
