Sir Jim Ratcliffe has offered Manchester United fans inconvenient takeover truth

With each day, week and month that passes by, optimism about a potential Manchester United takeover wears thin. Almost one year has passed since the Glazers announced they would “explore strategic alternatives” to their club ownership. But what exactly did this mean?

Most supporters - and commentators alike - assumed the American billionaires were finally set to end their 18-year reign of apathy. The ambiguity of that statement, which discussed “exploring all options” while also suggesting they aim to “serve the best interests of our shareholders”, likely did more harm than good.

For years, United fans have demanded transparency from the owners who, throughout their tenure, have preferred the “no comment” approach. However, the convoluted statement, plagued with legalese and vagueness, did little to set the record straight.

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The announcement did attract interest for United from both UK shores and abroad. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim emerging as the two front-runners to end the Glazer era.

Given Chelsea’s £2.1billion sale just months earlier, the Glazers may have sensed the perfect time to cash in. Or was this simply a knee-jerk reaction to fan protests, which came to a head in May 2021 and again in August 2022 - just over a month before the statement?

An initial £6billion asking price was slapped on United and it appeared likely that a deal could be done. Supporters, having experienced Gulf-backed takeovers at other clubs in recent years, championed the Jassim deal.

The Qatari prince submitted a final, take-it-or-leave-it, £5billion offer in June which the Glazers refused to entertain. For