Man Utd takeover: Delayed AGAIN

Manchester United’s imminent partial takeover may be postponed until next week now, according to reports.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent stake in the club should be formalised soon by way of a club announcement but it has once again been delayed until next week.

Jamie Jackson, Manchester correspondent of The Guardian, tweeted today: “No Sir Jim R official purchase of 25% of @ManUtd today and may well be next week at earliest now…”

The deal has reportedly been finalised, pending official confirmation via the club, but it has dragged on. There is an idea that it could go into next year, with minds very much on the best possible time to signify a new era for the club.

It comes after the story that the Glazers are forking out £250,000 a week in legal and consultancy fees as the takeover rumbles on.

It’s thought that their bill is even more than what they’re paying some of their top earners at the club, reports the Daily Mail.

Ratcliffe stands to buy an initial 25 per cent stake for £1.3billion, but the complex nature of the deal means that the Glazers are paying huge sums. US-based financial advisors, the Raine Group, have been helping to negotiate a deal for the past 12 months, but it’s believed that the deal is reaching its conclusion.

A shakeup at recruitment is expected, with the likes of Sir Dave Brailsford among those set to join the club at board level.

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Richard Arnold’s departure has already been announced, while it’s thought that Paul Mitchell, who has worked at Monaco and Tottenham, is set to come in.

Ratcliffe stands to run the club’s football operations as the club looks to bring about a distinct change in how it’s been doing things.