Manchester United takeover: Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol answers your questions | Football News

A potential takeover of Manchester United continues to dominate the sports news agenda.

Bid for club ownership from Qatar Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe‘s group INEOS confirmed on Friday, when it was revealed that the US hedge fund Elliott Management also submit a proposal for possible funding.

But is this a complete takeover? Will current United owners the Glazer family sell the club in full, what will that mean for spending in the summer transfer window, and when will we know the outcome?

You have submitted a question and Sky Sports News the main journalist All Solhekol have answered them. We have selected the best below…

‘Qatar favorite | The takeover should ideally be completed in the summer’

Q: Who is most likely to succeed with the offer?

CS: “I think at the moment the Qataris come out in front. My understanding is that they have the best offer on the table, not only in terms of price, but also the vision for the club and the team – and how they’d invest in the men’s and women’s teams, the stadium and regeneration local.

“You have to say that Qatar is the favourite. They have the money to do the deal and they are sure there will be no problems with UEFA and the Premier League.”

Q: When will the deal for the club be decided?

CS: “I think it would be ideal for all parties to ensure that it is done before the end of the season. From United’s point of view, it does not make sense to go to another transfer window without ownership being completed, because the Glazers’ I do not want to spend money in the window without knowing what he stays or goes, but it all depends on whether he really wants to sell.”

Q: When will we know who the preferred bidder is?

CS: “If there are only two bidders who buy the club outright, it won’t be long before Raine and the Glazers give full access to the club’s accounts.

“As of Monday morning, the bidders have not heard from Raine and you have to remember that New York is five hours behind England.”

Q: Can INEOS compete with Qatar funds?

CS: “The simple answer to that question is no. Qatar has almost unlimited funds, but the only difference is that they have unlimited funds if you consider this a state-backed takeover bid.

“We were told that Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani was acting in a personal capacity and that he would not pay more for United.”

‘It depends on what the Glazers want They won’t drop the price’

Q: Can US hedge fund Elliott Management give the Glazers what they want?

CS: “Elliot Management’s proposal differs from the other two bidders in that they are not trying to buy the club. Instead, they are willing to provide funding for other bids or provide funds that allow the Glazers to redevelop Old Trafford.

“So it all depends on what the Glazers want to do. Do they think now is the best time to sell the club, or will they sell a more important minority stake and make United more valuable in the future.”

Q: Are there no offers from Saudi Arabia?

CS: “You know, until this morning (Monday) there has been no offer from Saudi Arabia. Having said that, the bidders do not have to announce that they have made an offer and Raine keeps his cards very close to his chest.

“There is initial interest from Saudi Arabia, but we have not received any information that has been made…

Q: What is more likely – a full takeover or the Glazers taking part of the funds and retaining control?

CS: “It all depends on what the Glazer family want to do. They may have different opinions about what the best outcome of this process is, but there is so much pressure from fans right now to let him go, so you would think it would be difficult. He turned down £5 billion for a club that needs a lot of money to move forward.

Q: How realistic is it that the takeover won’t happen and Glazer decides to stay?

CS: “Given that United’s share price has doubled since the Glazers effectively sold the club, you’d think now would be a good time to cash in and walk away with an incredible profit.

“Having said that, it’s ultimately their decision and while we’ve been told that the bidders won’t pay more, the Glazers won’t sell United for less than they think.

Q: Any chance the Glazers will drop the club price?

CS: “No chance. United’s market capitalization on the New York Stock Exchange has doubled since November when the Glazers effectively sold the club.

“The general consensus seems to be that they are looking for between £6bn-8bn and I don’t think that will pay. It all depends on whether the Glazers are willing to sell for around £5bn.”

Q: Do you think Gary Neville is right that the Glazers would rather invest than sell?

CS: “Gary Neville may be right, but the Glazers have appointed Raine to run this process and he has invited offers for the club.

“Two attractive offers have been made, but the Glazers have to decide what they want to do. A large section of United fans have already campaigned against them before they bought the club.

“The Glazers have to decide that now is the best time to sell, because, make no mistake, United need a lot of money.

“They have to decide whether they want to be front and center in a rebuilding project that will take years.”

‘Sheikh Jassim will clear the debt | No sign of Elon Musk’s interest

Q: Will United’s debt be eliminated by buying the club or will it remain when the new owners take over?

CS: “The Qataris are committed to canceling all of United’s debt. The Glazers bought United in a £790m leveraged buy-out in 2005 and the debt they loaded into the club is still at £515m.

“Don’t forget that the takeover has cost United more than £1 billion in interest and dividends. As far as the Qataris are concerned, there will be no loans, no debts, no dividends and any profits will be reinvested in the club and the local community. .

“As per Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group, no debt will be placed on the club in the event of a successful purchase.”

Q: Did Sir Jim Ratcliffe really have the funds to do all this along with buying the club?

CS: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes he has the funds to transform United on and off the pitch. Obviously, you would expect him to spend less on the club than Qatar, but spending money on problems is not always the best solution.

“This does not suggest the Qataris will just throw money at United. I think the vision for the club is more than just a quick fix.”

Q: Is Elon Musk really running or is this just another rumor?

CS: “Elon Musk has always been a wildcard in all of this. There are reports in it Daily Mail last week he said he was considering making an offer, but he has been uncharacteristically quiet on any interest and we have not heard anything about him making an offer.

“He claims to be a United fan and could easily access funds to buy the club. But he said last week that he has enough on his plate now with Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX.”

‘Important funds are available for transfer | Young players focus’

Q: Can he be sold before the summer transfer window?

CS: “It would be an ideal situation for all concerned. Having only made a loan signing in January, United will be busy in the summer. Ideally, Erik ten Hag should know who will be signing the cheque.”

Q: Can United fans expect a big money signing?

CS: “I don’t think the Qataris or Sir Jim Ratcliffe will go crazy in the transfer market. There will likely be changes in recruitment and significant funds will be available for Erik ten Hag, but I wouldn’t expect to see the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar swaps Paris Saint-Germain for Manchester United anytime soon.

“My information is that the focus is on developing youth. This does not mean that United will not sign players of a certain age, but their general strategy is to focus on buying the best young players.

“United will sign a striker in the summer, regardless of who owns the club. That will always be a priority.”