BREAKING NEWS: coming live from Fabrizio Romano, 🚨 JUST IN, WAR in old Trafford, Sheikh Jassim has filed a report and sent legal letters to Manchester United lawyers in New York City and London with concrete evidence that could put the Glazers and sir Jim Ratcliffe into big trouble. This could give the Saudi billionaire banker legal right and great hand to buy Manchester United and have full control over the club. Sheikh Jassim strikes back in a deadly way.
Sheikh Jassim’s representatives have allegedly sent legal correspondence to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s attorneys, asserting that the Ineos CEO made ‘inaccurate’ and ‘slanderous’ remarks. According to sources cited in The Athletic, the Qatari financier’s consortium has dispatched legal notices to Manchester United’s legal representatives in both New York City and London, alleging a consistent pattern of false and defamatory comments by Ratcliffe concerning their potential acquisition of the club. They claim Ratcliffe violated the confidentiality agreement agreed upon by all parties involved in the sale process.
Ratcliffe recently acquired a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in February, succeeding in the bid against Sheikh Jassim, who withdrew from the process last October after failing to meet the Glazer family’s desired £6 billion offer. Following his successful acquisition, Ratcliffe commented in an interview, expressing doubt about Sheikh Jassim’s existence, stating that neither the Glazers nor anyone else had ever encountered him.
Sheikh Jassim reportedly voiced concerns about Ratcliffe’s ‘provably inaccurate’ remarks. It was previously reported in January that the Qatari consortium was angered by Manchester United’s assertion to shareholders that their group failed to meet the valuation requirements and did not provide evidence of financial backing.
The situation became increasingly complicated when Manchester United’s filing indicated that ‘Bidder A’ (presumably Sheikh Jassim’s group) repeatedly failed to furnish customary financing commitment letters, a claim refuted by Sheikh Jassim’s team. The Qatari bidders were also dismayed by the shareholders’ lack of awareness regarding Sheikh Jassim’s pledge to inject £1 billion into infrastructure improvements.
Documents reveal that the Qataris’ final bid of approximately £4 billion was rejected, although conflicting reports suggest the offer may have been significantly higher. Following nine months of negotiations, the group eventually withdrew from the bidding process after their final offer was turned down by Manchester United.
