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David Beckham’s dreams of a return to Manchester United have been dashed by news that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is close to buying a 25 per cent stake in the club.
Last week it was claimed the former Red Devils star would return to Old Trafford as an ambassador if the Qataris are able to buy the fallen giants.
However, this no longer seems to be the case.
On Saturday night, Sheikh Jassim said he would step down from the race to buy United because a price could not be agreed.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the top bidder to buy Manchester United
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Then, shortly after, news broke that Ratcliffe was being lined up for a minority investment.
The INEOS chief has long had a desire to own a British football club, having missed out on Chelsea’s move to Todd Boehly last year.
However, Ratcliffe is prepared to secure a 25 percent stake if it means taking over all of United down the road.
This gives him an edge over Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari billionaire who has flatly refused to bid for minority investment.
And for Beckham, his United dream may be over.
Last week, Beckham indicated he was fully behind the Qatar bid and confirmed he ‘knows people’ who would do wonders at United.
“We are one of the biggest clubs in the world. We want stability,” he said.
“I think that’s the most important thing.
“We all have our favorite people who we feel need to run the club and look after it to get the club back to its original state.
“In our eyes, in the fans’ eyes, we’re number one.
“We want to get back to the top and I believe I know the right people to do that so we’ll see!”
Instead, it now seems Ratcliffe is in top position at United to at least offset the Glazers’ power.
However, there is at least one silver lining for Beckham.
Ratcliffe’s efforts to buy a 25 percent stake in United are not straightforward, with even Sheikh Jassim no longer in the running, reports say.
The British billionaire fears rivals will come to the table in a late-stage hijacking attempt.
And he would only invest if the Glazers offered a way to own the entire club in the future.
The family confirmed last November that they would be carrying out a ‘strategic review’ as they consider their options for the long term.
But if Ratcliffe doesn’t get the assurances he wants it’s likely the 70-year-old will leave his job.
However, it seems there is currently no chance of Beckham and Sheikh Jassim joining United in the future.
And this will be a big shock for many fans who were eager to see this pairing.
latest developments:
David Beckham won a lot during his time at Manchester United
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Beckham also confirmed in July that he would like to return to United, saying: “I’ve got a lot going on here at the moment and I’m completely focused on [Inter] Miami and everything that happens in my business.
“But I have not been approached and I think any kind of involvement with Manchester United would mean a lot to me going forward.
“But who knows?
“We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks or months.
“Hopefully, a decision will be made and if I’m involved in any way… if not, I’ll be a United fan and do what all the other fans are doing – come and watch our team.”
