<\/p>\n
Plans for a takeover of Manchester United could be delayed until May, with the current US-based owners the Glazer family said to be holding out for a better offer, according to British media reports.<\/p>\n
The Daily Mail reported this week that the Glazers wanted a bid of at least \u00a36 billion ($10.68bn AUD) after initial offers from Qatari\u2019s Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe were lodged at a maximum of \u00a34.5 billion ($A8bn).<\/p>\n
The Mail said this might mean a sale of the club, which won its first trophy in six years by collecting the League Cup on Sunday, would not take place until May at the earliest.<\/p>\n
In another report, the Guardian said there was indecision among the six Glazer siblings because each had their own view of any takeover but that the sale remained \u201cunder serious consideration by the family as a whole\u201d.<\/p>\n
Watch the world\u2019s best footballers every week with beIN SPORTS on Kayo. LIVE coverage from Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, Carabao Cup, EFL & SPFL. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now ><\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Blades dump Spurs out of FA Cup | 00:47<\/p>\n Sheikh Jassim, 41, educated at Britain\u2019s elite Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, claims to be a long-time United fan.<\/p>\n He was the first to submit a bid by the \u2018soft deadline\u2019 of February 17 and has promised a \u201ccompletely debt free\u201d takeover of United.<\/p>\n Boyhood United fan Ratcliffe, who was born in the Manchester area, is one of Britain\u2019s wealthiest individuals, with an estimated net worth of \u00a312.5 billion ($15 billion) following the success of INEOS, his global chemical company.<\/p>\n He is keen to expand a sporting portfolio that already includes French football club Nice and Swiss team FC Lausanne-Sport, as well as the cycling team Ineos Grenadiers, formerly Team Sky.<\/p>\n A price tag of around $6 billion would smash the record fee for a football club set when a consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital purchased Chelsea last year.<\/p>\n Russ Mould, investment director at Manchester-headquartered stockbrokers AJ Bell, told AFP on Wednesday: \u201cAs bidders continue to circle one of the globe\u2019s most valuable sports franchises, it seems no party has reached the \u00a36 billion valuation put on the business by Manchester United\u2019s current owners.\u201d<\/p>\n MORE COVERAGE<\/b><\/p>\n