Man Utd takeover news: The Glazers are claimed to be cashing in after reports claiming Sheikh Jassim had made a breakthrough.
The Manchester United takeover saga will soon enter its 10th month as supporters remain in the dark over the club’s ownership. But a major hint over an upcoming sale decision may have leaked from the unlikeliest of sources, Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman.
The Glazers declared in November 2022 that they were looking for alternative investment alternatives, including a possible sale.
The two main contenders vying for a takeover emerged as British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, sparking widespread rumors.
A number of US hedge funds are also being taken into consideration, offering the Glazer family the chance to keep ownership with a minimal investment.
Despite claims that Joel and Avram Glazer, along with their four siblings, had a falling out over a desire to profit from United, there haven’t been many changes in recent weeks.
The Sun broke the radio silence earlier this month by reporting that Sheikh Jassim had achieved a breakthrough and that his Qatari side was putting in one more official offer to seal the transaction.
According to reports, Old Trafford is confident that a deal will be finalized by November. Furthermore, Cardiff chairman Dalman might be aware of information suggesting the same.
Man Utd takeover: Mehmet Dalman may have dropped a hint.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Dalman discussed Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan’s commitment to the club while he remains open to new investment.
And after stating he had been meeting US funds looking to enter football, Dalman claimed that United were “going to announce” a sale worth over £7billion.
“I’ve been meeting a lot with US private equity funds and the valuation of football clubs is going through the roof. Americans are determined to come into this market quite heavily,” Dalman explained.
“I spoke to the owners of Leeds when we were there, and Championship clubs are valued at three times their revenue, give or take.
Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim is in pole position
“Manchester United are going to announce their sale at £7.2bn-7.3bn, which is roughly 10 times their revenue.
“Two or three years ago, we might have been talking about selling Cardiff for about £20m or £30m, but now you’re going to have to look at £90m or £100m. Valuations [of Championship clubs] have all stretched.”
It’s unconfirmed whether the inspiration behind Dalman’s comments were facts he had heard behind the scenes rather than a presumption based on speculation.
But with just over a month until November arrives, the earlier Sun report suggests a significant update could be on the horizon.