- Sheikh Jassim 'overpaying' for Man Utd
- Expert claims United worth around £3.5bn
- Qatari expected to pay £5.5bn if bid successful
WHAT HAPPENED? A financial expert has claimed the Qatari banker, who is the frontrunner to buy the Red Devils from the Glazers, will be paying £2.5 billion above market rate for the keys to Old Trafford due to a premium on the shares owned by the American family.
WHAT THEY SAID: "The latest bid of Sheikh Jassim is well in excess of the market value before even taking into account the investment in servicing the debt," football finance expert Viva Mukherjee told Football Insider: "Today’s share price sits at around $25, but the market value has soared to over $26 when we have seen reports about Qatar winning the bid. If the Glazers sold at the same rate as the stock market, the value of the club would sit around £3bn to £3.4bn. However, there is likely a premium for the Glazers’ shares – estimated at around 20 per cent the value would total between £3.4bn-£3.9bn."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Sheikh Jassim has made five bids for United through his Nine Two Foundation and according to the latest reports his team are confident that they will be chosen ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group. INEOS, which also owns Ligue 1 side Nice as well as teams in cycling, sailing and Formula One, had been regarded as the favourites to buy United in May but the British billionaire's bid has since been described as "dead in the water" as the structure he is proposing offers nothing to the club's minority shareholders and would only buy out the Glazer family's shares.
IN TWO PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT FOR? The successful bidder for United is expected to be announced later this summer although no date has been given. The takeover process began in November.
