Club Sale | It’s done!

[Red00012]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

This has been tweeted already no Need to be putting it up again

 

[Reapersoul20]

It will happen. It’s inevitable. It might not be right away, but it will. We will one day be involved in a transfer, or a re-development, or a something which requires us to spend more than we’d budgeted for, or should be able to spend, and the people that own us, who’ve never had to deal with not getting their way or encountered a problem they couldn’t solve with money, will find a way to get that money used for their gain….

Just like City did, despite it being perfectly possible to grow them more organically over time, just like Newcastle are already doing with their sponsors, despite already being a more “marketable” team than City were, and just like Qatar themselves did with the Neymar & Mbappe deals that broke the transfer market, or the World Cup bid that saw 7 FIFA officials arrested in the aftermath and a criminal investigation opened into the bidding process FFS!

it will happen. And all the same people will excuse it and defend it, precisely because being Man Utd will be the perfect cover for it, and a much more easily defendable reason for spending ludicrous sums. And even if it doesn’t, there will always be doubts as to whether it had. That’s tainting. It’s what tainting is. City haven’t been “convicted” of anything yet, but their success is tainted because everyone already believes they have.
So yes, it will happen.

You think it’s annoying having “moralists” in our own fanbase now? You’re gonna get bored of “defending” it. And of seeing everyone portray our non-state owned rivals as “proper” clubs and the moral victors whenever they beat us.

That’s the trade off. It’s absolutely fine to some, I’m sure. Many even. And being resigned to it is perfectly fine. But forgive me if I find the celebration and pre-emptive defence of it pretty gross, and entirely alien to how I engage with supporting this club, and my love of football in general.

And forgive me if I don’t in good faith think that a lot (not all) of people now pretending it’s all because of their newly found rabid hatred of the Glazers (no Glazer thread on this site has ever been as long or contentious as this!) wouldnt have been the same people dismissing or laughing at those who initially opposed them… because the snarky “I wonder whether those pesky moralists will still support the club or feck off!?” rhetoric sounds exactly like some past insults lobbied at United fans during a takeover… and it wasn’t by those against it.

Good post

 

[Salford_Red83]

Why are British journos and news outlets so quick to shoot down any positive signs that come out of this saga?

 

[Cassidy]

No, I can't have that one because you are essentially suggesting that a client should have a better understanding of the process and timelines than the architect he hired. You wouldn't make that point at any time, you would logically point to the fact that the architect is not doing a good job and putting everyone in a less than ideal situation. In fact if you remember the reports bidders had issues with Raine Group. Could the Glazer go with an other firm mid process? Probably but I don't know it would be received.

And to be clear, I don't know if any of this is true, I'm just adressing the points about the organization and management of the process.

I'm not I am saying that the client ultimately can be prohibitive to the timeline and thus if they know they are not willing to move fast then they need to let Raine Group know.
E.g it was not unrealistic for an exclusive bidder to have been chosen before easter, the reason it was not is not solely down to Raine Group, Glazers bare a lot of that responsibility (e.g not knowing if they wanted to sell or having not accepted any bids)

If they knew that they were not looking for a quick process and knew they would be remaining sticky on the price they wanted met then they should have made that known. Its more than likely that come March they realised they didn't have the number of bidders they expected and thus the process has dragged on.

 

[jm99]

Is that the way this “media literacy” thing works?!

Come on. He’s bidding to buy the club. The end game of which is entering a period of exclusivity. So that’s exactly what he’s been negotiating for over the last few months. The only actual progress would be a report that this has been granted. Which was very much not part of the Reuters update.

The way the media literacy thing works is reuters is running an exclusive saying jassim's bid is favoured and they've negotiating for exclusivity. If you know what the word exclusive means, then they clearly aren't running a story to say things are exactly thr same as has been reported everywhere else for months. And it's obviously indicating that reaching an agreement for exclusivity isn't far off

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Is that the way this “media literacy” thing works?!

Come on. He’s bidding to buy the club. The end game of which is entering a period of exclusivity. So that’s exactly what he’s been negotiating for over the last few months. The only actual progress would be a report that this has been granted. Which was very much not part of the Reuters update.

Unless he's been told he's won it but hasn't signed the legal documents yet. Exclusivity isn't officially granted until the LOI is signed.

 

[cyberman]

yes and a link to the companies house news too

I’m not even being funny. If someone was negotiating the terms of exclusivity then it should have been huge news when it happened.
I’m shocked I missed it

 

[StamsShinyHead]

It will happen. It’s inevitable. It might not be right away, but it will. We will one day be involved in a transfer, or a re-development, or a something which requires us to spend more than we’d budgeted for, or should be able to spend, and the people that own us, who’ve never had to deal with not getting their way or encountered a problem they couldn’t solve with money, will find a way to get that money used for their gain….

Just like City did, despite it being perfectly possible to grow them more organically over time, just like Newcastle are already doing with their sponsors, despite already being a more “marketable” team than City were, and just like Qatar themselves did with the Neymar & Mbappe deals that broke the transfer market, or the World Cup bid that saw 7 FIFA officials arrested in the aftermath and a criminal investigation opened into the bidding process FFS!

it will happen. And all the same people will excuse it and defend it, precisely because being Man Utd will be the perfect cover for it, and a much more easily defendable reason for spending ludicrous sums. And even if it doesn’t, there will always be doubts as to whether it had. That’s tainting. It’s what tainting is. City haven’t been “convicted” of anything yet, but their success is tainted because everyone already believes they have.
So yes, it will happen.

You think it’s annoying having “moralists” in our own fanbase now? You’re gonna get bored of “defending” it. And of seeing everyone portray our non-state owned rivals as “proper” clubs and the moral victors whenever they beat us.

That’s the trade off. It’s absolutely fine to some, I’m sure. Many even. And being resigned to it is perfectly fine. But forgive me if I find the celebration and pre-emptive defence of it pretty gross, and entirely alien to how I engage with supporting this club, and my love of football in general.

And forgive me if I don’t in good faith think that a lot (not all) of people now pretending it’s all because of their newly found rabid hatred of the Glazers (no Glazer thread on this site has ever been as long or contentious as this!) wouldnt have been the same people dismissing or laughing at those who initially opposed them… because the snarky “I wonder whether those pesky moralists will still support the club or feck off!?” rhetoric sounds exactly like some past insults lobbied at United fans during a takeover… and it wasn’t by those against it.

Summed up how I'm feeling as eloquently as ever.

 

[alexthelion]

It will happen. It’s inevitable. It might not be right away, but it will. We will one day be involved in a transfer, or a re-development, or a something which requires us to spend more than we’d budgeted for, or should be able to spend, and the people that own us, who’ve never had to deal with not getting their way or encountered a problem they couldn’t solve with money, will find a way to get that money used for their gain….

 

[gajender]

A source like reuters isn't running an exclusive to say things are exactly the same. If they're commenting, and their article says jassim's bid is viewed more favourably, its because exclusivity isn't far off. Places pick reuters and bloomberg and the BBC don't tend to run exclusives for a piece of nothing news.

You can't fault @Pogue Mahone on this because the post he quoted , the poster has either ignorantly or deliberately inserted that Ineos is also possibly in discussion for exclusivity which obviously wasn't part of the actual article .

 

[Sparky Rhiwabon]

“Give me exclusivity”

“Nah I don’t think so”

“Ah gwan”

Is that how negotiating for exclusivity works?

 

[UnitedSofa]

Do you have any actual knowledge about the process? Unless he has something clear and precise to point it, there is nothing clear about what you suggested.

This whole process (the reporting of h at least) has been farcical.

Everything could be described as “nonsense”

 

[Bosws87]

Why are British journos and news outlets so quick to shoot down any positive signs that come out of this saga?

They don’t like United or want them to be the powerhouse they were lots of them.

Expect a huge increase of Liverpool fans to start playing the virtue signalling card now. Most would of been praying for Jim.

People are predictable.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

The way the media literacy thing works is reuters is running an exclusive saying jassim's bid is favoured and they've negotiating for exclusivity. If you know what the word exclusive means, then they clearly aren't running a story to say things are exactly thr same as has been reported everywhere else for months. And it's obviously indicating that reaching an agreement for exclusivity isn't far off

This. Probably just the lawyers and other professionals crossing the t's and dotting the i's at this point. It's happening, inevitably.

 

[Sauxees Moi Hui]

I would trust Reuters on this one, and negotiating exclusivity is a big deal. Up to SJR now to quickly put in another bid or leave the fight.

Edit: For those who don't know, "negotiating for exclusivity" means ironing out the exact terms of an exclusivity agreement to be signed by the parties. It's a significant step - getting something binding on paper.

 

[FreakyJim]

Damn, so many new pages so quickly, I thought something happened. Turns out nothing has happened.

 

[Rightnr]

So what's the actual source here? Just Rio and Reuters?

I mean I'll take it but nothing is definite

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Why are British journos and news outlets so quick to shoot down any positive signs that come out of this saga?

They don’t like United or want them to be the powerhouse they were lots of them.

Think it's simpler than that. The longer they can keep this going, the more clicks and engagement they'll get - that's their business model, after all.

 

[JPRouve]

I'm not I am saying that the client ultimately can be prohibitive to the timeline and thus if they know they are not willing to move fast then they need to let Raine Group know.
E.g it was not unrealistic for an exclusive bidder to have been chosen before easter, the reason it was not is not solely down to Raine Group, Glazers bare a lot of that responsibility (e.g not knowing if they wanted to sell or having not accepted any bids)

If they knew that they were not looking for a quick process and knew they would be remaining sticky on the price they wanted met then they should have made that known. Its more than likely that come March they realised they didn't have the number of bidders they expected and thus the process has dragged on.

It was unrealistic. I'll be honest with you out of all the similar takeovers that I have seen only two have actually been quick, the Suns after racists allegation against the owner and Chelsea after the war in Ukraine started. Every other examples that I have in mind, have lasted longer than theis current sale process which started mid february.

 

[Big Ben Foster]

Damn, so many new pages so quickly, I thought something happened. Turns out nothing has happened.

Reuters wouldn't have come out with an exclusive if nothing had happened. It's happening. Just isn't official yet.

 

[Zebs]

Is that the way this “media literacy” thing works?!

Come on. He’s bidding to buy the club. The end game of which is entering a period of exclusivity. So that’s exactly what he’s been negotiating for over the last few months. The only actual progress would be a report that this has been granted. Which was very much not part of the Reuters update.

I'm not saying I blindly believe it's done, but having reported on the petrochemical industry (one of the busiest industries for M&A in the world) for a number of years, Reuters aren't the type to run an "Exclusive" news article to just say something that has already been reported and we'll known for months now. If you were to ask me, it's been written in a specific way that doesn't say anything definite because of rules around potentially impacting on the markets but that's just speculation on my behalf.

 

[Chief123]

Yep, the anti Qatar lot, who believed every tweet from UK journos suggesting Jim had won, suddenly don't trust the media and express skepticism

Apparently absolutely nothing has happened today.

 

[jm99]

You can't fault @Pogue Mahone on this because the post he quoted , the poster has either ignorantly or deliberately inserted that Ineos is also possibly in discussion for exclusivity which obviously wasn't part of the actual article .

Well technically INEOS are in discussion for exclusivity, they have been since the bidding process opened, but clearly the reuters article is indicating that jassim is about to be given exclusivity, they're running it as an exclusive, and it's not very exclusive to report the same thing everyone has reported for months, so obviously there's been significant progress for jassim. The article does state that his bid is favoured

 

[JPRouve]

This whole process (the reporting of h at least) has been farcical.

Everything could be described as “nonsense”

And that's the thing, is the reporting done by reliable people? it's the same people covering summer transfer windows...

 

[Rado_N]

“Give me exclusivity”

“Nah I don’t think so”

“Ah gwan”

Is that how negotiating for exclusivity works?

If Mrs Doyle is running the negotiations, sure.

 

[Tiber]

Feels like there is real momentum behind Qatar. Hopefully gets sorted soon.

But looked like the Ratcliffe-Joel Glazer bromance had all the momentum last week so who really knows

 

[Scandi Red]

It will happen. It’s inevitable. It might not be right away, but it will. We will one day be involved in a transfer, or a re-development, or a something which requires us to spend more than we’d budgeted for, or should be able to spend, and the people that own us, who’ve never had to deal with not getting their way or encountered a problem they couldn’t solve with money, will find a way to get that money used for their gain….

Just like City did, despite it being perfectly possible to grow them more organically over time, just like Newcastle are already doing with their sponsors, despite already being a more “marketable” team than City were, and just like Qatar themselves did with the Neymar & Mbappe deals that broke the transfer market, or the World Cup bid that saw 7 FIFA officials arrested in the aftermath and a criminal investigation opened into the bidding process FFS!

it will happen. And all the same people will excuse it and defend it, precisely because being Man Utd will be the perfect cover for it, and a much more easily defendable reason for spending ludicrous sums. And even if it doesn’t, there will always be doubts as to whether it had. That’s tainting. It’s what tainting is. City haven’t been “convicted” of anything yet, but their success is tainted because everyone already believes they have.
So yes, it will happen.

You think it’s annoying having “moralists” in our own fanbase now? You’re gonna get bored of “defending” it. And of seeing everyone portray our non-state owned rivals as “proper” clubs and the moral victors whenever they beat us.

That’s the trade off. It’s absolutely fine to some, I’m sure. Many even. And being resigned to it is perfectly fine. But forgive me if I find the celebration and pre-emptive defence of it pretty gross, and entirely alien to how I engage with supporting this club, and my love of football in general.

And forgive me if I don’t in good faith think that a lot (not all) of people now pretending it’s all because of their newly found rabid hatred of the Glazers (no Glazer thread on this site has ever been as long or contentious as this!) wouldnt have been the same people dismissing or laughing at those who initially opposed them… because the snarky “I wonder whether those pesky moralists will still support the club or feck off!?” rhetoric sounds exactly like some past insults lobbied at United fans during a takeover… and it wasn’t by those against it.

This is the perfect post.

 

[jm99]

I'm not saying I blindly believe it's done, but having reported on the petrochemical industry (one of the busiest industries for M&A in the world) for a number of years, Reuters aren't the type to run an "Exclusive" news article to just say som#ething that has already been reported and we'll known for months now. If you were to ask me, it's been written in a specific way that doesn't say anything definite because of rules around potentially impacting on the markets but that's just speculation on my behalf.

Yeah this is very much what I meant by media literacy. Understanding the way that very well regarded sources like reuters publish their stories, the wording they use, the significance of it being reported as an exclusive etc. Basically understanding the difference between reuters reporting and the daily mirror and how "exclusive" isn't thrown around the same way at one as the other

 

[Marcus]

I think something has happened, but some people could get sued for breaching the NDA and so they will just keep denying any progress to show that it was not them who blabbed.

 

[Ghostrider318]

If Qatar gets announced as the preferred bidder , I fear we might see even higher prices quoted for some of our transfer targets.

 

[jm99]

Feels like there is real momentum behind Qatar. Hopefully gets sorted soon.

But looked like the Ratcliffe-Joel Glazer bromance had all the momentum last week so who really knows

My feeling is this is different, reuters reporting this is a far bigger deal than some British journos who've been commenting non stop since February, often with reports conflicting with what they reported the week prior

 

[Cassidy]

It was unrealistic. I'll be honest with you out of all the similar takeovers that I have seen only two have actually been quick, the Suns after racists allegation against the owner and Chelsea after the war in Ukraine started. Every other examples that I have in mind, have lasted longer than theis current sale process which started mid february.

The process started in November, the deadline for bids was February, an exclusive bidder could have been chosen by Easter.
That doesn't mean the sale is completed by Easter, but honestly the main issue was that in Feb there were only 2 serious bidders and one of them couldn't get anywhere near the asking price without significantly reworking the initial offer (SJR)
It then turns out that offer could also be open to litigation

 

[RedTiger]

Is it time to start making our Qatar chants then?

I got one, let's see, hooo boy, this is gonna be fun

feck you Qatar
Why couldn't you stay afar
You sportswashing cnuts

Fin.

I bleed red
I bleed red
Qatar me and I bleed red

 

[Big Ben Foster]

I think something has happened, but some people could get sued for breaching the NDA and so they will just keep denying any progress to show that it was not them who blabbed.

Yeah, until the LOI is signed and they can come out with an official press release, they'll deny it's done. So the earlier denial means nothing.

 

[El-Manos]

I think something has happened, but some people could get sued for breaching the NDA and so they will just keep denying any progress to show that it was not them who blabbed.

That’s exactly what I’m thinking too. They can’t say anything until it’s official but this is the endgame for Jasim you would imagine.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

So what's the actual source here? Just Rio and Reuters?

I mean I'll take it but nothing is definite

Rioteurs News Service 5.

 

[JPRouve]

The process started in November, the deadline for bids was February, an exclusive bidder could have been chosen by Easter.

By process I only consider first formal contacts between parties which was mid February. November was when the Glazer family announced that the club was for sale.

 

[alexthelion]

Jim the Rat Ltd

Jim the Rat (Monaco) Ltd

 

[MDFC Manager]

The process started in November, the deadline for bids was February, an exclusive bidder could have been chosen by Easter.

Probably would have if Jim hadn't made the part ownership offer.

 

[croadyman]

Yeah I am convinced Stone has been told to put out that line until club announces. Remember how many times he has done this with transfers too.