Manchester Evening News readers have named Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani as their preferred buyer of Manchester United.
The United-owning Glazer family announced in November they were looking for further investment opportunities in United which included the possibility of selling the club entirely. Two contenders have emerged in a process which has frustrated fans with how long it is taking.
INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe is wanting to purchase 60 per cent of the club which would open the door to the Glazers potentially remaining as minority owners. Sheikh Jassim is also in the race and is thought to be in pole position with his offer to buy 100 per cent of United. Both parties have made several bids but none have yet been accepted.
There is a divide among supporters over who they want to buy the club. Sheikh Jassim has proposed to wipe the club's considerable debt and would likely guarantee huge transfer sums but his links to the Qatari royal family, and that nation's horrific human rights record, have earned his bid objectors.
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Ratcliffe is Britain's richest man so United wouldn't be missing out on funds should he take over but the possibility of the Glazers still having any stake in the club has put people off.
MEN Sport has asked readers to take part in a big survey in recent weeks and out of 31,782 responses a massive 83 per cent voted Sheikh Jassim as the party they hope is successful in the bidding protest. Only 17 per cent opted for Ratcliffe.
This new poll doesn't take into account where fans taking part are based - in our previous poll asking the question overseas fans were in favour of Sheikh Jassim's bid, while UK-based fans were found to be backing Ratcliffe.
For whoever does win the process, the demands from fans are clear as 83 per cent say new signings should be the priority, with the remaining 17 per cent believing it should be fixing the issues with Old Trafford. 53 per cent say the ongoing process is stopping them from getting too excited about Ten Hag's reign but 82 per cent are confident it will be completed by the end of the year.
