The Qatari bid for Manchester United is said to be edging closer to success, according to latest reports.
Bloomberg, which cites sources familiar with the matter, said the Qatari group led by banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani is confident it has beaten Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos.
Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani and his inner circle have also reportedly begun communicating their confidence and believe an official announcement is on the horizon.
However, the same source cited by Bloomberg also said that the Glazer Family could make a last-minute U-turn and decide to accept outside funds to renovate Old Trafford and the Carrington training ground.
Ratcliffe, for the majority of the nearly eight-month-long process, was believed to be the Glazers’ preferred bidders, due to his offer allowing Avram and Joel Glazer to stay on as minority shareholders.
Bloomberg reports that while Avram and Joel favoured this bid, it provoked opposition from current minority shareholders who would not be bought out.
A supposed top-three shareholder sent a letter to the board of the club warning that directors were at risk of legal action for recommending a bid that favoured one set of shareholders over another.