- Glazers had aimed for April deadline
- Takeover to now go ahead this summer
- Neville criticised "unprofessional" approach
WHAT HAPPENED? The Glazers received their first offers for the club back in February and had set an initial deadline of late-April to get a deal over the line. However, after three rounds of bidding and with United one game away from the end of the season, there is still no news of the American siblings' preferred buyer, either at full takeover or partial investment capacity. Neville, who has been vocal in the past about their handling of the process, has labelled the approach "unprofessional".
WHAT THEY SAID: "Plainly obvious the Glazer family aren’t going to announce anything on the ownership until the season is closed!" the former United right-back wrote in a Tweet. "They’ve been spinning it out unprofessionally for weeks and months now. They know fan protests would have been more significant than they already have if matches were still being played and the end result of the sale process is unpopular. Basically any family members staying in would be deemed unacceptable by all fans. Is this why they’re holding off?"
THE BIGGER PICTURE: While the Glazers' protracted sale being a deliberate ploy to stave off potential protests is difficult to prove, its ramifications for long-term planning are evident. To date, Luke Shaw remains the only player to sign a new deal while the takeover saga continues, with the likes of David de Gea and Marcus Rashford two standout names in need of a contract renewal. Erik ten Hag also admitted earlier this month that he doesn't know his summer budget due to the uncertainty surrounding the club.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? The nature of the takeover bid will heavily influence United's summer. It has been reported that a win for the Qatari group led by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani may open the door to a sensational move for Paris Saint-Germain wantaway Neymar.