According to reports, Sir Jim Ratcliffe pulled off a 'masterstroke' and he is now in the 'final stages' of talks with the view to buying Man Utd.
The Premier League giants have been up for sale since last November and it has been heavily reported in recent weeks that Ratcliffe is leading the race to become the club's new majority stakeholder.
The British billionaire is willing to keep the Glazer family on board with a reduced stake, but his deal would allow him to oust the American owners in the future.
Qatar's Sheikh Jassim is fighting Ratcliffe for Man Utd, but he is only interested in an all-or-nothing proposal.
In a final attempt to outdo Ratcliffe, Sheikh Jassim has submitted a fifth and final offer to Man Utd and he wants the Glazer family to make a decision by Friday.
A report from The Times claims INEOS and Ratcliffe 'have emerged as the clear favourites to complete a deal' and they 'have entered the final stages of negotiations with Raine, the New York bank handling the sale'.
It is said that Sheikh Jassim's fifth offer 'has been sent directly to the Glazers and Raine' and this 'points to him sensing he may have lost to Ratcliffe'. The Qatari's will reportedly 'withdraw from the process' if their new bid is not accepted by Friday's deadline.
'Ratcliffe appeared to have played a masterstroke when his offer enabled two of the Glazer siblings, United co-chairmen Joel and Avram, to retain a stake' but it is feared that 'all six Glazer siblings might want to retain a shareholding as a form of investment'.
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Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has stated that the Glazer family now "need to make their minds up very quickly".
"This shows the determination of Sheikh Jassim's Qatari bid and just how serious they are when it comes to buying Manchester United. It's very difficult to say which bid is favourite to succeed because the decision ultimately lies with the Glazers," Solhekol told Sky Sports.
"What they have to decide is whether they take all of the money now from Sheikh Jassim or do they want some of the money from Sir Jim Ratcliffe while keeping a stake which would give them more money in the future.
"Are they going to consider what is best for Manchester United or are they just thinking about their own interests? They have to think about what is good for the club because this process has been totally undignified.
"It is unbecoming for a club as big as Manchester United to be treated the way it has. This has been hanging over everyone - the manager, his coaching team, the players - for six months.
"Why has this taken so long when it's been obvious from day one that only two parties were interested in buying the club - Sheikh Jassim and the Qataris, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe?
"The Glazers have to make up their minds very quickly and realise it's not just about what's best for them, it's about what is best for Manchester United. It is now or never."
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