Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is reportedly still confident that he is in pole position to complete a takeover for Manchester United despite recent developments.
The Qatari banker is expected to make a third offer for the club ahead of the deadline on Friday, although it remains to be seen whether the bid is close to the £6bn that the Glazers are believed to want.
There is still huge uncertainty when it comes to the position of the Glazer family, with a recent report claiming that co-owners Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer are against a full sale and would rather bring in minority investment.
Meanwhile, it has since been claimed that Sheikh Jassim's main rival, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has offered the Glazers the chance to remain at Old Trafford as part of his bid.
Ratcliffe has previously indicated that he would be looking to buy 69% of the club, but Sheikh Jassim wants the full 100% and has also promised to clear the outstanding debts.
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According to The Mirror, Sheikh Jassim is still confident that he will complete a takeover of the 20-time English champions despite the obstacles in front of him.
All parties have been told to submit revised offers by 10pm, which will then be looked at by Raine Group, who are working for the Glazers on the sale.
Last November, the Glazers revealed that they were open to a sale, but there is no clear end point to the process at this stage, with any takeover now unlikely to be completed before June.
Man United are therefore struggling to plan for this summer's transfer window, as it is unclear how much money there will be to spend on new recruits.
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Sheikh Jassim is believed to be determined to bring Neymar to Old Trafford in the upcoming market and will target a move for the Paris Saint-Germain attacker if he completes a takeover.
Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane continues to be linked with a move to the club, while a new central midfielder and centre-back could also arrive as part of the next stage of Erik ten Hag's rebuilding job.
Man United ended their six-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup at the end of February, while they will take on Manchester City in the final of the FA Cup at the start of June.
The 20-time English champions are also in a strong position to return to the Champions League for the 2023-24 campaign, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table, six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham with two games in hand following Thursday's 2-2 draw between the two sides.
Ten Hag's side will be bidding to return to winning ways on Sunday afternoon when they host an Aston Villa side that are sixth in the table, winning eight of their last 10 matches in England's top flight, remaining unbeaten in the process.
Matt Law
