Sir Jim Ratcliffe ‘would demand FULL control of transfer as soon as Man United deal is agreed’

• Sir Jim Ratcliffe is one of two bidders believed to be leading the way to buy the club
• The Ineos billionaire said he wants to control the transfers as soon as the deal is agreed
• Third bids for the club were submitted last week as they await responses

It has been reported that potential Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is demanding that he be given full control over the transfer as soon as his bid is accepted.

The Ineos billionaire is one of two parties, along with Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, believed to be leading the bidding process as the Glazer family consider selling United after 18 years of highly contentious ownership.

By The TelegraphRatcliffe’s offer for the club includes a demand that he be given the reins of recruitment as soon as his offer to buy the club is given the green light.

Both sides are said to have asked for influence once their bids are accepted, with Sheikh Jassim said to want even more control of the club. It is claimed that such requests are an indication that the process is expected to drag on into the summer and perhaps beyond.

The report states that such requests are unlikely to be granted, and the Glazers will likely retain control until the dotted line is signed and the ink is dry.

It is said that such requests may involve wider legal and logistical issues, apart from the commercial problems the Glazers may face if the request is granted.

Comparing the situation to the acquisition of a large company, the report notes that approval rights are often required so that accounts do not expire before the change of ownership.

A third and final bid was submitted last week, with Ratcliffe believed to value the club higher than Sheikh Jassimi, who had appeared to be the favorite for much of the process.

According to Ratcliffe’s offer, Glazer’s brothers Joel and Avram would remain stakeholders in the club in its current form.

People close to the process, led by US merchant bank Raine Group, say the prospect may well prove to be the better option, with two of the Glazer brothers family members most involved in running the club. opportunity to stay.

It is also believed that the last share currently owned by various investment groups will be preserved.

In a long and drawn-out process that has seen Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim submit three bids, it has become increasingly uncertain whether the American family will sell the club.

Widespread protests were seen ahead of United’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, while banners calling for the Glazers to sell the club have been common at every game this season, although they have understandably become more common since the previous statement. November, where it was reported that the sale of the club is being investigated.

Gary Neville, an outspoken former player, described the process as “bad” last month.

He tweeted: “They made it up! Bad way to run the sales process.

“They need to leave by the end of May to give the new owner a chance to influence the next transfer window and hit the ground running!”

Neville continued: “To take it to Round 3 (offer) is classless. The market clearly hasn’t given them the answer they want!

“It’s like they made a deal with each other that they won’t pay less than a billion for each family member. (5 of them). If they stay in after all this, it’s toxic!