A Manchester United legend who insists he has sources close to the deal has now explained why the club's takeover has taken longer than expected.
In June, ex-United captain Rio Ferdinand claimed that Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani had been successful in his takeover bid and that an announcement would be imminent.
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This revelation was contrary to previous reports that suggested that INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe was in pole position to buy the club from the Glazers.
Today, though, it remains unclear who is leading the race or when the takeover will be completed.
Ferdinand, speaking on his Vibe with Five YouTube show, has now claimed it is the Glazer family who have slowed the process down.
"I had some news from a very good source, my great source at Manchester United," the 44-year-old said, per Football 365.
"Things were running quite smoothly and it was going down the right path but then obviously [it hit a bump].
"I think the big issue is, when you're dealing with a group of people rather than an individual, it makes things very complex and difficult at times.
"You're not dealing with one individual with the Glazers – I think Jim Ratcliffe came out and said it.
"That's been the issue behind the scenes, I didn't want to come out and say it, but you're dealing with siblings in the Glazer family who are there to make a collective decision.
"I don't think one person can just make a decision on their own, so therefore that makes it very difficult to say 'yes' immediately just like that [clicks fingers]. It's a process that they have to go through.
"I think that we all assume that Jim Ratcliffe and his group are totally out of it, but I don't think that's the case, I think they haven't been told that they're gone and that they're done with in this.
"I think Sheikh Jassim and that Qatar bid is obviously there and it's strong. But at the moment it's kind of down to the Glazers to make a decision together and go, 'Right this is what we want to do'.
"But I think maybe one of the problems has been, from what I hear, that some of them want to remain involved and some aren't happy with the number, and then it's just general negotiations around that as well on little details."
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"... I think the Qataris have gone as far as they're going to go.
"This is them, this is their final offer and it's a kind of take-it-or-leave-it situation. I can't see it being anything else than that.
"I can't see the statement being anything else than that. 'Listen, we are here, we're at the table, but we're being held back' would be the kind of gist of it."
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