Man Utd fans suffer 'blow' with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's takeover delayed again | OneFootball

Highlights

Manchester United are on the verge of entering a new era with Sir Jim Ratcliffe heading into the Old Trafford boardroom, but journalist Dean Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that a significant 'blow' has emerged while INEOS' top priority has been pinpointed.

Although the Red Devils are producing positive results on a consistent basis, with last weekend's 3-0 victory over Everton being their sixth Premier League win in eight fixtures, there is still uncertainty over the future running of the club.

The Glazers put Manchester United on the market 12 months ago, when it emerged that they were 'commencing a process to explore strategic alternatives', but the American family are still in charge after lengthy negotiations with various suitors.

Ratcliffe announcement could be hours away

An official announcement confirming Ratcliffe has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United could finally arrive this week, according to the Telegraph, after further delays resulted in his wish to rubber-stamp the deal before the United States celebrated Thanksgiving on November 23 failing to come to fruition.

The report suggests that football director John Murtough is still expecting to play a part in the transition under the INEOS chief executive, despite there being uncertainty over his position after Richard Arnold decided to step down from his chief executive role.

Although Ratcliffe agreed a £1.3billion deal to acquire a quarter of Manchester United's shares last month, having initially failed with several alternative proposals, he is being forced to play the waiting game before heading into the boardroom.

But respected reporter Ben Jacobs recently told GIVEMESPORT there is no doubt that the 71-year-old will be heading to Old Trafford and the delay is normal when negotiating fresh investments, while the Red Devils being on the New York Stock Exchange has resulted in an announcement not being possible until all the necessary paperwork is signed.

The hold-up could have a negative impact on Manchester United's bid to bolster their squad as there are growing fears that delaying Ratcliffe's arrival onto the board will lead to boss Erik ten Hag's plans for the January transfer window being ruined, with there being a lack of time to get funds into place.

The billionaire becoming a minority shareholder could also have a knock-on effect on the continental stage as it may result in the Red Devils being banned from next season's Champions League if Nice - another club he owns - also qualify for Europe's elite competition and finish higher in their domestic division.

Dean Jones update - Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Jones believes that large sections of the Manchester United fanbase will have been left frustrated by the drawn-out takeover saga still not reaching its climax thanks to Ratcliffe being forced to remain patient.

But the reputable journalist has been made aware that the deal is on course for completion and, following his arrival at Old Trafford, the new investor's top priority will be to get the likes of Jadon Sancho and Donny van de Beek off the wage bill.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

Sancho in line for Italian escape route

Juventus are confident that they have the upper-hand in their pursuit of Sancho thanks to having a fruitful relationship with Manchester United, according to Spanish sources, and they are determined to persuade him to head to the Allianz Stadium instead of Borussia Dortmund.

The report suggests the Serie A giants are preparing to hold discussions with the Red Devils after setting their sights on sealing a loan deal for the winger, who has failed to make a matchday squad since his current employers' 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest on August 26.

Sancho riled ten Hag when he claimed he has been made a scapegoat in a now-deleted social media post, leading to the Dutch tactician believing their relationship is beyond repair and challenging Manchester United to negotiate an exit strategy ahead of the winter window opening for business in January.

The England international could still remain in the Premier League if he leaves Old Trafford as Tottenham Hotspur are seriously considering making a £30million move after being identified as a primary target by boss Ange Postecoglou.

they forked out £73million when they persuaded Dortmund into cashing in two years ago.