Who Is Bidding to Buy English Soccer Club Manchester United?
U.S. News & World Report MANCHESTER, England (AP) The race to buy Manchester United is taking shape.
Based on the publicly declared bids for one of the world's most iconic soccer teams, the frontrunners are Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and local boy-turned-billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
There is also the possibility that the current American owners, the Glazer family, could yet retain control of the team, despite raising hopes among supporters they would finally walk away after repeated attempts by fans to drive them out.
After a second round of bidding last week, Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe remain in contention for what is likely to be the biggest ever sale of a sports team, with the price estimated to reach up to $6 billion.
Sheikh Jassim's latest offer was placed on Friday night, a person with knowledge of the bid said.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly.
American merchant bank Raine's decision to extend the deadline for the rival bidders to fine-tune their second bids has added to the feeling that it is effectively a two-horse race if there is to be an outright takeover of the 20-time English league champions.
