The Manchester United takeover saga continues to drag on, with it now more than five months since the Glazers first announced they were open to selling the club.
INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani are the two frontrunners to purchase United, with the pair submitting their third and final bids last month. Since then, however, United's bid to qualify for next season's Champions League has faltered.
Erik ten Hag's side have lost back-to-back games to Brighton and West Ham and now sit just one point above fifth-placed Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand. Should they drop points in any of their last four league games, they could miss out on Champions League football for a second consecutive season.
Failing to qualify for European football's premier competition would come as a major blow for United on and off the pitch. However, according to a report from the Athletic, United missing out on a top four spot would not affect either Ratcliffe or Sheikh Jassim's bids.
The report also states that the value of each offer will not change whether United are in next year's Champions League or not, with both Ratclilffe and Sheikh Jassim 'fully committed' to buying the club.
Back in February, Ratcliffe outlined his vision for the club if his bid was successful, insisting he would invest heavily in United in a bid to make them "the number one club in the world once again". In a statement, Ratcliffe said: "We would see our role as the long-term custodians of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.
"We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again. We also recognise that football governance in this country is at a crossroads.
"We would want to help lead this next chapter, deepening the culture of English football by making the club a beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership. We want a Manchester United anchored in its proud history and roots in the North-West of England, putting the Manchester back into Manchester United and clearly focusing on winning the Champions League."
Sheikh Jassim, meanwhile, made a similar vow as well as promising his bid would be "completely debt free". In a statement, he said: "The bid plans to return the Club to its former glories both on and off the pitch, and – above all – will seek to place the fans at the heart of Manchester United Football Club once more.
"The bid will be completely debt free via Sheikh Jassim's Nine Two Foundation, which will look to invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the Club supports. The vision of the bid is for Manchester United Football Club to be renowned for footballing excellence, and regarded as the greatest football club in the world."
