Man Utd takeover: Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani submits dramatic final bid in attempt to gazump Sir Jim Ratcliffe

• Ratcliffe appeared to be preferred bidder
• But Sheikh Jassim returns to table
• Man Utd takeover takes another turn

WHAT HAPPENED? Just as the drama surrounding the Man Utd takeover seemed to be coming to an end, the Daily Mail report that Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has returned to the table with a final, take it or leave it offer to buy 100% of the club, in a desperate bid to turn the Glazers' attention away from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: It emerged last week that Ratcliffe was the preferred bidder after last month's final round of bidding with his offer of a majority takeover, but Sheikh Jassim has now submitted an improved final offer.

However, that offer is still thought to be valued lower than Ratcliffe's, which was the case after the supposed third and final round of bids last month. While the Lancashire-born billionaire has not bid for 100% of the club, his offer for a majority stake, which would allow the Glazers to remain before eventually being bought out completely, values United higher.

AND WHAT'S MORE: As well as proposing to buy 100% of the club, Sheikh Jassim's offer proposes to wipe clean the £536 million ($669.2m) of debt leveraged against United. It is expected that Ratcliffe's petrochemicals company INEOS would take on and manage that debt if his offer is successful.

Talks with all parties are said to be continuing, despite the claim that a preferred bidder would be firmly identified last week.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD? The report states that it remains to be seen if Ratcliffe will now try to improve his offer further. The pressure is now firmly on for United's takeover to be completed before the end of the season, with the summer transfer window swiftly approaching and both their men's and women's teams in difficult positions regarding incoming and outgoing players.