Why Manchester United takeover is having opposite problem to 'complex' Chelsea purchase

Today marks seven months to the day since the Glazers announced they were open to the idea of selling Manchester United.

As the saying goes, and as fans have since found, the road to hell is paved with good intentions and the club is now stuck in limbo with no conclusion to the saga in sight. While the Glazers announced in November the club was "commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives", it has been clear that the owners are in no rush to do so.

Five rounds of bidding have since taken place, with Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe emerging as frontrunners, while in the background the nightmare scenario of the current regime remaining as further financing from US investment groups also remains a possibility.

It means Erik ten Hag's summer transfer window plans now face being impacted by the inability to find a new owner. The process, led by the US investment banking firm Raine Group that also handled Todd Boehly's purchase of Premier League rivals Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, has been nothing short of a debacle.

READ MORE: United must know how much a new No.9 will cost after their last negotiation

It has been a stark contrast to the quick turnaround Raine managed with the Blues. Former owner and Russian oligarch Abramovich was forced into selling the West London club last year after being sanctioned by the UK government for allegedly having ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Following the announcement of the sale, and with Abramovich's assets frozen by the British government, Chelsea became desperate to secure a new owner amid a budget crisis that saw their funds temporarily dictated to them with strict budgets for travelling to games, hosting matches at Stamford Bridge as