Hidden clause in Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £5bn takeover bid will push the Glazer family out

Sir Jim Ratcliffe would propose a full buyout of Manchester United Football Club after three years if his proposed £5bn takeover bid is accepted.

The Glazer family announced they are considering selling United in November 2022 after 18 years of highly controversial ownership.

The Ineos billionaire is one of two sides, alongside Qatari sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, believed to be leading the bidding war.

However, sky news report that Ratcliffe’s takeover offer includes “put-and-call options that would become exercisable in 2026.”

A source reportedly told Sky News that the put-and-call arrangements would force the Glazers to sell their remaining shares to him or force him to acquire them.

The clause could trigger as little as three years into the deal and would ultimately push the Glazer family out of the picture.

The news surrounding the clause in Ratcliffe’s bid comes just over a week after the Glazers received a third round of offers for the club.

Ratcliffe is said to have rated the club higher than Sheikh Jassim, who had been the favorite in the running for much of the process.

The clause in Ratcliffe’s offer will satisfy Manchester United’s fanbase as they have campaigned to get the ‘Glazer’s out’.

There were widespread protests ahead of United’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford earlier this month.

In addition, there were banners at every game this season calling for the Glazers to sell the club.

Understandably, those signs became more prevalent following last November’s statement that a sale of the club was being investigated.

Gary Neville, an outspoken former Manchester United player, described the club’s sale process as “sloppy” last month.

The Sky Sports pundit tweeted: ‘They’re making it up as they go! Bad way to run a sales process.

“They need to leave at the end of May to give the new owner a chance to influence the next transfer window and get started!”

Neville continued, “Taking it to a 3rd round of bidding is just classless. The market has clearly not given them the answer they want!

‘It’s like they’ve made a pact with each other that they won’t leave for less than £1 billion per family member. (5 of them). If they stay inside after all this, it will be poisonous!’.

Should Ratcliffe win the bidding war, he will invest heavily in the club and make the Red Devils ‘back to the number one club in the world’.

In February, Ratcliffe said: ‘We would see our role as the long-term stewards of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.

We are ambitious and very competitive and would like to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world again. We also recognize that football governance in this country is at a crossroads.

“We want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-focused approach to ownership.

“We want a Manchester United that is anchored in its proud history and roots in the North West of England, puts the Manchester back in Manchester United and is clearly focused on winning the Champions League.”