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Sheikh Jassim felt ‘let down’ by the Glazers after failing to buy Manchester United, it has been claimed.
The Qatari billionaire was keen to buy the Red Devils, but on Saturday he opted to withdraw his offer for the club.
It has emerged that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now set to buy a 25 per cent stake in United.
United were hoping for a full takeover, but Joel and Avraham Glazer were reluctant to sell the club, their flexibility has worked to their advantage.
The Glazers have owned Manchester United since 2005
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And football finance expert Kieran Maguire, speaking on his podcast The Price of Football, has revealed that Sheikh Jassim feels ‘let down’ by the family.
“As far as I understand, there was a $1.7 billion reconstruction fund,” he said.
“Which would have gone not only to the issues on the pitch but perhaps, more importantly, to the condition of Old Trafford which is not suitable for 21st century football.”
He added: “Sheikh Jassim said, ‘In fact, I have been quite successful and one of the reasons I have been successful is because I don’t pull my trousers down during negotiations.’
“I think they feel very let down by the attitude of the selling party.”
Maguire also thinks United could suffer losses if Ratcliffe and the Glazers decide to do business with each other.
They fear that Old Trafford will be left to rot, as the stadium needs renovation and redevelopment to meet its best.
And Maguire also thinks the Glazers are happy to run United ‘on a mediocrity’ basis.
He added, “Sir Jim Ratcliffe is absolutely brilliant at turning around failing businesses, but football is not like any other industry.”
“The idea was to be able to achieve a controlling stake by 2026, with it now at 25 per cent.
“It’s the next three years. Are there three more years of leaky roofs left?
“Joel and Avraham [Glazer] Very excited about Manchester United.
“They feel it has not been fully evaluated because they do not see it as a football club and that would be my concern.
“Manchester United is a cash cow without being successful on the field because it enjoys the status of one of the greats of world football.
“So why not run it on an average basis?
“The target is to finish fourth or fifth. From next season, the top five will be in the Champions League.
“Aim for a top-five finish and stick to that.
“Firing the coach is irrelevant, the Glazers certainly have no interest in the game.”
If Ratcliffe’s bid to acquire a 25 per cent stake is successful he could appoint two key figures at United.
However, one man whose job is safe at Old Trafford is manager Eric ten Hag.
latest developments:
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ready to buy 25 percent stake in Manchester United
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United have made a slow start to the season, winning only four of their opening eight Premier League matches.
But Ratcliffe is a big fan of Ten Hag and wants the 53-year-old to remain and succeed at the club.
