Ferdinand and Beckham get egg on faces after Sheikh Jassim's Man Utd bid fails
Sheikh Jassim's Manchester United takeover bid has failed - four months after Rio Ferdinand predicted he would be successful.
It was revealed on Saturday that Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani had withdrawn his bid for United, with INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to buy a 25 per cent stake in the club. The news all but ends an 11-month takeover saga.
United are yet to break their silence on the matter, but a statement is expected in the near future. For a long time, it seemed as Sheikh Jassim would win the takeover battle. Ferdinand even released a video in June saying his bid had been "accepted".
Yet Sheikh Jassim's United dream is over. The news is also slightly embarrassing for David Beckham, who was tipped to become one of United's ambassadors if Sheikh Jassim bought the club. The former England captain denied these rumours earlier this month.
Ferdinand told his Five YouTube channel in June: "The Manchester United takeover is imminent. We are hearing the Qatari bid is the one that has been accepted, the one that is imminent and the one that is going to go through. Hallelujah, man. I cannot wait.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
"Please let this happen. Look how long this has gone on for. The Glazers have dug their heels in. It will go to the biggest bidder which is normal in negotiations, but I want this to be resolved before the transfer window kicks in and now it is opening and starting to move."
Ferdinand insisted that information was provided from "a good source". But as we now know, the takeover wasn't resolved before the summer transfer window - nor has Sheikh Jassim won the battle. Ratcliffe will become a minority shareholder instead.
That means the Glazers will remain in charge... for now. It's believed Ratcliffe has ambitions to eventually become United's controlling shareholder, but it could take a while for the Glazers to move on. Co-chairs Avram and Joel are determined to remain involved.
Sheikh Jassim's takeover bid has failedWhat's your thoughts on Manchester United's takeover saga? Let us know in the comments below!
Sheikh Jassim's failed bid means Beckham, who is an ambassador for Qatar, will not be returning to Old Trafford in the near future. Beckham has rejected the idea of becoming an ambassador for United but wants to see a full takeover.
"At the moment there has been no discussion," Beckham told CNBC when asked. "I have had a long-standing relationship with Qatar, because of my involvement with PSG. Obviously there will be some connection and people put two and two together.
"There will be a takeover, it is the right time. We all have our opinions on who should take over, but in my opinion it is about who cares about the club the most and will take the club back to where it should be."
Beckham added: "Manchester United will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world. We need to get back to that for the fans, the players, the manager because at the moment, there is no stability. We need to get the talk back on the field, not off it."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
