By Adam Williams, Finance & Governance Correspondent

28th Apr, 2023 | 6:45am

Man United takeover: Glazers stance revealed as six new bids to land in hours

The Glazers are legitimately undecided about their future at Man United with the final deadline for final bids now barely 24 hours away, sources have told Football Insider.

The American family have been presented with three options by the six groups involved in the bidding process – remain in majority control with external investment, retain a minority stake or sell their equity entirely.

Reports elsewhere have suggested that the Glazers are leaning towards staying at the club and using capital from one of four US investment firms to fund overdue infrastructure upgrades that will likely cost billions.

However, sources have previously told Football Insider that the priority is still a majority sale, which would see the Glazers cede operational control to one of two buyers linked with a takeover.

But that in turn will likely rely on Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group or the Qatari consortium led by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al Thani meeting or coming close to their £6billion valuation of the club.

It has also been claimed that Ratcliffe, who while incredibly wealthy does not have the same financial muscle as Jassim, is ready to buy a reduced majority stake and allow Joel and Avram Glazer to keep a 20 per cent shareholding.

A source in the mergers and acquisitions industry has told Football Insider that the ambiguity that remains about the future ownership of United is not a negotiating tactic to drive up the final sale price.

Instead, it is an indication of genuine indecisiveness in the Glazer camp which may lead to a protracted process before a resolution is reached.

Leading minority shareholders canvassed by Football Insider believe that it could be well beyond the end of the current season before a deal of any kind is finalised.

Interested parties have until midnight on Friday (28 April) to submit their final bids for United.

In other news, Kieran Maguire makes “colossal” Man United claim after takeover twist in last hours.