'There has been movement' in the long-running Manchester United takeover saga, according to one insider.
It's been almost 12 months since United's current owners, the Glazer family, announced that they were seeking fresh investment in the club.
INEOS founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe – a lifelong Man United fan and one of the richest people in Britain – and prominent Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani still appear to be the frontrunners to invest at Old Trafford – but to date, no deal has been struck.
Could that be about to change, though? Hosting a Q&A session on United, David Ornstein of The Athletic explained:
"We're getting question after question on this [the potential Manchester United takeover]. I'm assured there has been movement and, contrary to report that it is going the way of Sheikh Jassim, I keep hearing that INEOS taking a minority stake and building from there remains more likely.
"That said, I was previously being told it's going to Sheikh Jassim! This shows either the momentum keeps swinging or that none of us really know. Perhaps even the Glazers don't know."
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It's fair to say the situation still seems rather uncertain, then, as United fans grow increasingly frustrated with an already deeply unpopular ownership.
The Glazers – who have held majority control at Old Trafford since 2005 – are believed to value the club at between £7bn and £10bn.
But it remains to be seen whether they will be able to agree such a high-value sale, or whether they will have to settle for selling a minority share.
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