Why Sheikh Jassim has set Manchester United takeover deadline

Sheikh Jassim's patience with the drawn-out Manchester United takeover processes is 'wearing thin', PA news agency reports

The club's current owners, the Glazer family, put the club up for sale in November last year, with the Qatari announcing his first bid back in February. Since then, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also emerged as a frontrunner, although unlike Sheikh Jassim his proposal would potentially see the Glazers remain in some capacity.

The INEOS chairman and CEO wants to buy the Glazer's 69 per cent of United, while Sheikh Jassim is bidding for 100 per cent control. Now, with the takeover process rumbling on, the Sheikh and his Nine Two Foundation reportedly feel that by Friday, United’s owners,, and the Raine banking group which is conducting the sale process will have had ample time to seek or request clarification and revision of the bid, and will therefore no longer engage with them on it beyond this date.

According to PA, sources close to the Qatari say he is "simply keen to bring the matter to a swift conclusion with a crucial summer transfer window for United coming up". Sheikh Jassim submitted his fifth and final bid for United on Wednesday, June 7, with reports saying he considers it "an enormous premium on the current share price of the club, both now and at any stage of the club’s recent share price".

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The Glazers are reported to value the club at £6billion. After a soft deadline in February, those that advanced faced more delays as a second deadline was announced in March. Raine Group then requested interested parties' third and final bids on April 28. Last month, Sheikh Jassim made a fourth offer.

The Glazers, who