Official offers for Manchester United are finally in from three public bidders.
Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus came out of nowhere this week, confirming to the Manchester Evening News a formal bid was submitted on Friday, and the other known interested parties, British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani, have made the most of their extension and followed suit.
Now, it is over to the Raine Group to consider all the received bids on behalf of the Glazers before deciding how to progress the process. Here are the latest United takeover headlines:
READ MORE: Ratcliffe's Nice tenure offers glimpse into potential United future
Sheikh submits second bid
After Sheikh Jassim missed the soft deadline, his second bid has gone in. It's understood their camp remain confident and believe their bid is the best one.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol says it has been described as highly competitive but considered and rational. It suggests the offer falls somewhere between the opening bids, which were around £4.5 billion, and the Glazers' asking price of £6 billion. It is also reiterated that the takeover would remove all existing debt from the club.
Zilliacus sends 'same level' offer
Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus says his bid for Manchester United is 'on the same level' as the ones tabled by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The entrepreneur told MEN Sport he submitted a formal bid on Friday, a proposal which would see him own 50 per cent of the club with United fans owning the other half. Zilliacus, head of social media business novaM Group, says supporters from all over the world who invest would be able to have their say on many key club decisions through an app.
The bid is being funded by XXI Century Capital, an investment firm owned by his holding company. The Manchester Evening News understands the firm comprises of investors from Europe, Asia and America.
United stock spikes
Manchester United's price on the New York Stock Exchange peaked at $25 on Friday after Thomas Zilliacus joined the takeover race.
United stock started Friday by plummeting by almost a whole dollar within half an hour of markets opening, dropping to the lowest levels since the start of the week. The price then fluctuated and hit a high of $25.21 at 1:10pm.
The price returned to around $24 within an hour and ended the week fractionally below that. In another volatile week United stock surpassed the $26 point twice on Wednesday's deadline day and has increased by 6 per cent over the working week to $23.92.
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