From the outside, it seems like the process of selling the Theatre of Dreams is a bit of a nightmare.
That is if Manchester United IS actually up for sale.
But one thing is for sure - as the empire that is being built down the road sweeps everything before it, each day that passes without any sort of decision in the Old Trafford boardroom is another day added to the years it will take United to catch City up.
Not for the first time during their 18-year ownership, United fans really do have the right to ask the Glazers what the hell is going on?
Almost three weeks after the deadline for final offers passed, there has, apparently, been, er, a final offer from the slightly mysterious Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The exact value of the Qatari’s bid, for 100 percent of the club, is - in keeping with most aspects of this so-called sales procedure - unclear, but most sources suggest it is not far south of £5billion.
The current market capitalisation of United is around £2.5billion and the club is carrying, all things considered, around £970million worth of debt. Even to the untrained business eye, that looks a fair price.
The only other bidder for a takeover, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has suggested buying a majority share that would value the club at closer to £6billion and could allow the Glazers to retain a minority stake for a while.
Considering the toxicity generated by the current owners, that would hardly get Sir Jim off to a flying start with the fans but anything other than being in the Americans’ control would be welcomed by those supporters. And as time goes on, anything really would be better.
Next Monday, it will be SIX MONTHS since Avram and Joel Glazer, the executive co-directors, issued a statement saying: “As we seek to continue building on the club’s history of success, the board has authorised a thorough evaluation of strategic alternatives.
“We will evaluate all options to ensure that we best serve our fans. Throughout this process, we will be fully focused on serving the best interests of our fans …”
The best interests of the fans would be for the whole situation to get sorted before the transfer market is open for business this summer (June 10). The prevarication makes you wonder if the Glazers have been disappointed that Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim emerged as the only two serious bidders.
It is a lot of dough but there are a lot of billionaires out there. Perhaps United is not the draw the Glazers thought it was - not at the sort of price they want, anyway.
According to most business reports, some sort of sale is still likely to go ahead but, remember, that statement back in November concluded with the warning: “There can be no assurance that the review being undertaken will result in any transaction involving the company.”
For supporters, that would be the nightmare scenario but something needs to happen soon. Because the longer this farce goes on, the longer it will take for United to become the sort of footballing powerhouse that is now on their doorstep.
Anyone at the Etihad on Wednesday night, and most watching events on television, would have been intoxicated by Manchester City’s brilliance.
But purely in the interests of context - and in the interests of discussing whether or not it was one of the best-ever Champions League performances by an English side - it is worth considering Real Madrid’s LaLiga form over the past four months or so.
Since January 7, Carlo Ancelotti’s team have been beaten by Barcelona, by Mallorca, by Girona, by Real Sociedad and twice by Villarreal, while drawing with Atletico Madrid, Real Sociedad and Real Betis.
From their last 19 matches of the current LaLiga season, Real have taken 33 points. From their last 19 matches of the Premier League season, City have taken 49 points.
And according to every pundit on these shores, the strength of the Premier League is far greater than the strength of LaLiga. So, as scintillating as City were, they were not beating a great team.
A great club, for sure. But, currently, not a great team.
