British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has submitted a bid to buy Manchester United through his chemicals company INEOS, according to reports.
Ratcliffe, a lifelong United fan, will be up against Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani.
Qatar Islamic Bank chairman Al Thani, who is the son of a former Qatari prime minister, earlier confirmed he tabled an offer that will not carry any debt and vowed to reinvest all profits during his stewardship back into the club or community.
Al Thani's offer was made public roughly two hours before an apparent 'soft deadline' of 22:00 GMT on Friday, though the exact figure on the table was not revealed.
Ratcliffe had previously been the first to formally lodge an interest last month after the incumbent owners – the Glazer family – announced in November the club had been put up for sale.
The Telegraph quoted a source close to INEOS as saying: "His aim is to be a long-term custodian of Manchester United and set the standard for a progressive approach to club ownership.
"As locally born, he wants to put the Manchester back into Manchester United."
The Glazers have been deeply unpopular among supporters during their 18 years as stewards, predominantly down to their initial takeover coming in the form of a leveraged buyout, which saddled the club with huge debts.
In United's most recent financial figures, released in September, the club revealed their net debt increased from £419.5million to £514.9m in the year up to June 30, 2022.
Speculation over the past few months has run wild with regard to prospective buyers, with Elon Musk, Apple, Jeff Bezos, and a Saudi Arabian consortium all credited with varying degrees of interest.
But talk of Ratcliffe and a separate Qatari-backed bid had long gathered the most traction in the media, and it is the former many United fans are thought to favour.
Ratcliffe's company INEOS already owns Ligue 1 side Nice and has been routinely linked with Premier League clubs in recent years, even tabling an offer for Chelsea in 2022 prior to their sale to Todd Boehly and his Clearlake consortium.
His long-held affinity for United is an understandable positive for fans hoping for a return of the glory days.
Though, for many fans, siding with Ratcliffe comes as much from a place of uncertainty due to the Qatari bid's potential ties to Qatar's state.
The 2022 World Cup host nation has been widely derided for its human rights record ever since being given that tournament in 2010.
D.C. United v Toronto FC: Herdman heaps praise on 'legend' Johnson
John Herdman described Toronto FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson as an MLS legend ahead of Saturday's meeting with D.C. United at Audi Field.
Toronto sit sixth in the Eastern Conference standings after playing out a goalless draw with the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.
That was their first clean sheet since April 21 (a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution) but their sixth overall in MLS play this year. Only Charlotte FC have more, with seven.
"When the big man is called on, he brings it," Herdman said after their win over the Union. "This man, he's starting to become a bit of an MLS legend.
"He's on 400 games now in MLS and probably doesn't get the recognition he deserves… 10 clean sheets for TFC.
"I can't say enough about the big man. He's done a hell of a job for us this season."
D.C. sit 10th in the standings after going four games without a victory, losing 4-2 at CF Montreal in midweek.
Troy Lesesne criticised his side for making rookie mistakes after that game, saying: "We put ourselves in a hole and we can't make these types of mistakes, those are hard lessons to learn.
"Particularly on the road, with some of the form we've been in over the last three matches… it just sets the tone."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
Benteke scored both of D.C. United’s goals in their midweek defeat, his fourth multi-goal MLS match of the season.
The only D.C. United players with more in a single regular season are Luciano Emilio (five) in 2007 and Raul Diaz Arce (five) in 1996.
Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi
Bernardeschi attempted five shots and set up four chances for team-mates on Wednesday.
The Italian has been directly involved in 94 shots this season (57 shots, 37 chances created), the fourth-most in MLS.
MATCH PREDICTION – D.C. UNITED WIN
Toronto's scoreless draw with Philadelphia on Wednesday took them to 23 points for the season, surpassing their total from the entirety of last year (22).
However, D.C. are unbeaten in their last seven home games against Toronto (three wins, four draws), also losing just one of their last four on home soil overall.
Toronto have also won just one of their last five regular-season games after winning their previous three. D.C.'s energetic approach could catch them out.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
D.C. United – 48.8%
Toronto FC – 25.5%
Draw – 25.7%
Al-Hilal 1-1 Al-Nassr (5-4 pens): Ronaldo and company lose chaotic King's Cup final
Al-Nassr lost a dramatic Kings' Cup final featuring three red cards against Al-Hilal on Friday, with the Saudi Pro League champions claiming the treble with a 5-4 penalty shoot-out win.
Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic peeled away to the back post to head home the opener after just seven minutes, before Cristiano Ronaldo was denied by Yassine Bounou.
Al-Nassr looked to be imploding when David Ospina was sent off for a wild lunge on Malcom outside his penalty area shortly after half-time, but it was 10 versus 10 when Ali Al Bulayhi received his second yellow card late on.
Aiman Yahya took advantage to equalise in stoppage time, before Al-Hilal lost a second centre-back to a red card, Kalidou Koulibaly receiving his marching orders when he clattered into substitute goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah.
Neither team could find an extra-time winner, though, and it was Bounou who came up with the goods in the shoot-out.
He pushed Meshari Al Nemer's tame kick onto the post after Ali Al Hassan and Saud Abdulhamid had traded misses, claiming the trophy for Al-Hilal.
Data Debrief: Domestic sweep for Al-Hilal
Having also won the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League, going unbeaten throughout their league campaign, Al-Hilal capped a perfect domestic season with their 11th King's Cup. Only Al-Ahli (13) have won the competition more often.
Al-Nassr, meanwhile, have now gone four seasons without a domestic trophy, with August's Arab Club Champions Cup all they have to show for their efforts in 2023-24.
Southgate lauds Mainoo talent as England group together for Euro 2024
England manager Gareth Southgate has no doubt over the talent of Kobbie Mainoo after watching the Manchester United youngster flourish this campaign.
Mainoo was on target in Saturday's FA Cup final victory over rivals Manchester City as Man Utd triumphed 2-1 at Wembley Stadium.
Having caressed past Stefan Ortega in the first half, 19-year-old Mainoo became the first English teenager to score in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981.
That match-winning finish capped a fine breakthrough campaign for Mainoo, who has been rewarded with a place in England's preliminary squad for Euro 2024.
As the Three Lions joined together for their pre-tournament training camp, Southgate reserved special praise for the exciting England midfielder.
"The curious thing about young talent is how will they cope under pressure," Southgate said in an interview with England's media channels.
"You can see the technical ability but it's about how tactically aware they are, how mature, ability to cope with big matches.
"When you're playing for Manchester United, you're always under the spotlight. He's shown that with them, with us in March.
"We've never been afraid to put young players in. If players are good enough we're not so concerned about their age.
"Kobbie has had an amazing season and it was fabulous for him to finish the season with a goal and a trophy."
Decisions remain for Southgate, though, as the England boss prepares to cut his 33-man squad to just 26 players ahead of the upcoming tournament in Germany.
He added: "It will be extremely difficult. It was very difficult to leave players out of this 33 and, of course, there are some younger players coming in with slightly different expectations to this camp.
"But there are going to be some difficult calls to make. We're hoping that not too many of these calls are decided by injury and we've got the strongest possible squad to pick from."
England will play warm-up friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland next week, before starting their group-stage campaign in a June 16 meeting with Serbia.
Denmark and Slovenia will follow for England, who will hope to go one better than their runners-up finish to Italy in the last European Championship three years ago.
"There are so many aspects to being with this group of people that I love," Southgate continued, looking ahead to the upcoming international tournament.
"Ultimately we're trying to form a team and a group that have got to push each other and be there for each other. There's a team dynamic that's crucial to winning that we have to find.
"People will have slightly different roles that they will with their clubs. At their club, all of these guys are pretty much the first choice on the team sheet, so some have different roles in the next few weeks.
"The challenge of winning the games and the excitement of seeing our fans out there in some of the biggest occasions in world football is why you're in the game really. That's what we're looking forward to."
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