Man United takeover news: Sheikh Jassim's drop-out threat as Glazers 'on verge' of agreement

The future of Man United takeover remains unclear as the Glazers continue to stall on a public announcement about their preferred takeover bidder. Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe await the decision from the Raine Group, but things haven't been silent around the process.

Reports indicated that fans should expect the successful party to become known this week, but there has been no clarity on the situation.

There is growing momentum surrounding Sheikh Jassim's hopes after his improved fifth bid earlier this month.

And Sir Jim Ratcliffe, previously considered the firm favourite, has the chance the respond to that offer with an upgraded approach of his own.

The Glazers are hanging on for every penny they can get near the end of a seven-month saga that will likely hit the 10-month mark by its conclusion.

The Glazers are likely to still be in control of Man Utd when the new Premier League season kicks off in August, according to reports.

Qatar's Sheikh Jassim and INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe are the two public bidders for overall control of the club with other minority investors also reportedly interested.

Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe both lodged their third bids by the April 28 deadline set by the Glazers for Man United takeover but the former has made two further bids in an effort to shore up his chances of winning the takeover race.

It is understood that Sheikh Jassim lodged his fifth bid last week following claims the Ratcliffe camp were growing confident that they would be selected as the preferred bidder.

However, reports in Qatar this week claimed that Sheikh Jassim and his Nine Two Foundation had won the battle to buy Man Utd and Rio Ferdinand yesterday claimed a "good source" had informed him of the Qatari's success.

"The Man Utd takeover is imminent," Ferdinand said in his FIVE channel on YouTube. "We are hearing the Qatari bid is the one that has been accepted, the one that is imminent and the one that is going to go through. Hallelujah, man. I cannot wait. Please let this happen.