MANCHESTER UNITED fan and billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to bid for the club this week, according to reports.
It was revealed back in November that current owners, the Glazer family, are open to selling United or welcoming a new investor.
AFPJim Ratcliffe wants to buy Man Utd[/caption]
AFPThe Glazers are open to selling but want an eye-watering fee[/caption]
The Glazers supposedly want to hold out for a fee of £8billion to sell the whole club.
An early front-runner in the bidding race is Ratcliffe, who made his money via chemicals company Ineos.
Ratcliffe, 70, is worth £15billion and has formally stated his interest.
He previously put in a last-gasp offer for Chelsea and he also owns French side Nice, Swiss outfit Lausanne and a third of F1 team Mercedes.
The Daily Mail claim that initial offers for Man Utd could be worth at least £4billion.
However, more than that could be needed as the Glazers could reportedly look to delay the sale due to on-pitch success since the arrival of Ten Hag.
They believe that if they continue to see an upward turn in performances then the club could be worth more in the near future.
Any potential new chiefs will need a lot of funds with Old Trafford in need of renovation.
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Additionally, the Glazers could leave behind £500million in debts, suggest the Mirror, amid fears the price tag to buy United could put off deep-pocketed suitors.
In an attempt to attract potential investors, co-owner Avram Glazer reportedly flew to the World Cup in Qatar to hold informal discussions.
United also opened a shop in the luxury Swiss ski resort Davos during the World Economic Forum to make wealthy businessmen there aware that they could get buy the club.
If any deal does happen, it appears likely US bank Raine, who organised Chelsea’s sale to Todd Boehly for £4.25billion, could again be involved in the purchase of Man Utd.
The group helps facilitate huge deals and would select a few viable offers, progressing them on to the next stages of the bidding process.
Meanwhile, Liverpool is also up for sale as owners Fenway Sports Group put the team on the market last year.
Qatar Sports Investments, who run Paris Saint-Germain, are said to be interest in Liverpool but have the financial power to also like the look of United.