It’s officially deadline day for Manchester United’s prospective bidders and with multiple parties looking to take over the massive sporting franchise, it’s going to be an interesting few days ahead.
With current owners, the Glazer Family, valuing the club between at least £6-8 billion and now said to be looking for a full sale of the business as opposed to selling partial shares or welcoming new investors, it’ll simply be case a who puts forward the biggest offer.
The deadline for United‘s bidders is 10pm tonight. Here are the candidates said to be seriously considering a takeover.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Whoever is leading the race to take over the club is anyone’s guess but it’s fairly common knowledge that one of United’s longest-running suitors is British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chairman and co-owner of INEOS — the chemical company who also owns French club OGC Nice.
Ratcliffe is a lifelong Red born in Failsworth who as well as being one of the richest men in Britain also already happens to own a sporting brand in Team Sky cycling, which he bought back in 2019, not mention owning shares in Mercedes F1. If anything, he is clearly a sporting man, at the very least.
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The 70-year-old has enlisted a number of banks including Goldman Sachs to help fund his bid and while many were wary his need for additional financing resembled the leveraged buyout that saw the Glazers take control back in 2005, he is said to have assured he will not load United with any more debt.
Qatar
Ratcliffe’s biggest rival is undoubtedly the Qatari consortium that is said to be heavily interested in buying Manchester United. Given the level of wealth behind those involved, significantly dwarfing the majority of other financial players, their package is widely considered the strongest of United’s bidders.
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Although the amount of money clearly won’t be an issue (try a sovereign wealth fund of £368bn), its source and connection to the state looks to be the biggest sticking point.
It has been stated that Qatar Sports Investments, a.k.a. PSG’s billionaire owners, are not involved in the bid but the financing will have to be fully vetted. Regardless, UEFA are being urged to block the move to prevent further ‘sportswashing’ and the Emir of Qatar gaining unprecedented levels of power in football.
Saudi Arabia
Despite having only recently acquired Newcastle United through the Public Investment Fund (the same sovereign wealth model Qatar are hoping to deploy), it has been reported that a rival bid from elsewhere in the Arabian Gulf could also challenge Qatar’s offer.
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The nation were confirmed to have entered the race by The Telegraph early on Friday, literally hours before the deadline, having previously been rumoured to be in the market for Chelsea before Todd Boehly’s buyout too.
Saudi Arabia obviously share the same oil-based money origins as their Middle-Eastern neighbours and the national government has already said it would back bids from their private sector, but it would still present an odd prospect to see them invest in a direct rival so early into their Newcastle project.
The US — maybe even Elon Musk?
Perhaps the most uncertain prospects are located in the US, with various groups said to have expressed interest in trying to buy the club, though little detail is still known even at this advanced stage.
However, one very wealthy individual (i.e. the richest man in the world) is rumoured to be considering a bid in some capacity: Elon Musk. Yep.
Last but not least, the possibility of investment from China has not been ruled out from the list of Man United’s bidders.
Like the Qatari royals, Chinese investors are rumoured to be putting up an estimated £5bn bid according to The Times, with the possibility of state money also present in this instance.
Once again, though, little is known about the potential investors and whether or not they are part of a large consortium but they cannot be ruled out, especially with China’s massive United fan base.
Once again, the deadline is 10pm this evening (Friday, 17 February) but the full sale will obviously be a much lengthier process, so don’t expect the cogs to start turning right away.
United fans, who would you prefer to have in charge of the club?
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We know many people’s answer is simply ‘anyone but the Glazers’ but, you know, humour us.
Featured Image — Wikimedia Commons/Jason Wong (via Lookout Point)
Sport
Kobbie Mainoo signs new contract with Manchester United
Danny Jones
Manchester United supporters can breathe a sigh of relief and start the end-of-season celebrations early, as Kobbie Mainoo has signed a new deal with the club, extending his contract until 2031.
A big win for the Red Devils and their fans.
In fact, many will argue it’s great news for England too, as the promising young Man United midfielder’s place in the national team also looked to be in jeopardy earlier this season.
Having gone from struggling for game time to now having started all but one of the current interim manager, Michael Carrick’s, Premier League games, it’s been quite the turnaround for the newly re-committed first-team star.
After transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano broke the news early on Tuesday, 28 April, Man United has now officially announced Kobbie Mainoo‘s eagerly anticipated contract extension.
Mainoo’s existing terms would have seen his deal run out next summer before the start of the 2027/28 season, but now, a fresh five-year deal could see him stay at Old Trafford until at least the start of the next decade.
Having recently turned 21 and having enjoyed a real revival under Carrick, it’s less of a comeback for Kobbie or even a return to form – he simply needed way more minutes.
The Stockport-born United and Three Lions prospect was said to be on the verge of leaving the club under previous boss Ruben Amorim’s tenure – and not necessarily just on loan, either.
Romano stated that Napoli were one of many suitors who looked odds-on to sign Mainoo on at least a temporary deal this past winter.
Several clubs around Europe were heavily interested in signing Carrington youth academy graduate when it looked as though INEOS were determined to back Amorim, meaning the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ would have missed out on that mazy run against Brentford, and who knows what else in the future…
Most Reds would surely have been left hugely disappointed were this to have happened, especially given how long the Portuguese head coach ended up staying at the club.
However close they got heading into the January transfer window, the prior head coach’s departure meant that Mainoo was given another chance at a dream career for his boyhood club, and he has been very impressive ever since he started getting first-team football again.
It also goes without saying that regular playing time is great news for Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead of the 2026 World Cup, as the youngster has looked more than capable of playing in major finals, including the most recent Euros, where he helped give England the lift in midfield that was needed that tournament.
Speaking in an official club statement, Kobbie said: “Manchester United has always been my home; this special club means everything to my family. I have grown up seeing the impact that our club has on our city, and I relish the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.
“From The Cliff, to Littleton Road, to Carrington and ultimately Old Trafford, the journey so far has been incredible. I have the privilege of living my dream every single day, with the same relentless desire to succeed here as when I joined my first training session at the age of six.”
“We can all feel the momentum building inside the club. I am determined to step up and play my role in helping Manchester United to regularly fight for major trophies in the years ahead.” Happy, United fans?
Manchester United home kit for 2026/27 ‘leaked’ online in unboxing video
Danny Jones
Manchester United’s new home kit for the 2026/27 campaign has reportedly been leaked online in a YouTuber’s unboxing video ahead of next season.
We know fake shirts and dupes can be pretty accurate these days, but it looks very much like this could be the real deal.
Shared by dedicated football kit reviewer, ‘Retro Man‘, who has seemingly revealed the latest Man United jersey, this unveiling lines up with the previously rumoured designs circulated on social media.
A Red Devil himself, the creator has teased previous releases that turned out to be true in the past, so we’ll leave it up to all of you to decide how bona fide you think this supposed home strip is. Ever-reliable footy fashion peers, Footy Headlines, have also shared these images:
Uploaded to the channel on 25 April, Retro Man did a full overview of the United 26/27 home shirt, highlighting key features such as a red-forward collar with black and white accents.
That same trim is repeated on the ends of the sleeves – reminiscent of the 2011/12 iteration, only differing in the more crew neck style – and the back of the neck now simply reads “UNITED”.
It is worth noting that this is specifically the replica shirt that most fans will purchase.
Should it prove to be the genuine article, this will be the 11th Manchester United kit by adidas since they returned as manufacturers over a decade ago, a.k.a. the start of the Louis van Gaal era.
Retro Man has since posted another video showing off what he claims to be the ‘authentic’ version, too; you can check it out in more detail down below.
Looks pretty legit…
As you can see, the official player edition that will be worn on the pitch by actual United squad members (though they are still available to purchase by the public) appears to hold some key distinctions.
Besides some differences around the panelling and stitching, there is also a noticeable textured section along large sections of the interwoven fabric as part of the brand’s breathable and trademark ‘Climacool’ technology.
Elsewhere, the badge itself also looks to have a more embossed/raised finish. If this is the real deal, what do you make of it?
This isn’t the only United kit that’s caught some attention of late, either:
Danny Jones -
17th February 2023 
