EXCL: Man Utd takeover latest and who could Red Devils target in January? Plus Barca's interest in Newcastle star, potential Arsenal exit, and more

Manchester United takeover latest

It’s very close now for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to complete the purchase of his stake in Manchester United, it’s at the final stages after a lengthy saga going back to February/March. It’s been a difficult negotiation, but now it should be completed very soon, with Ratcliffe set to take control of 25% of Manchester United. He’s now very optimistic, and it should be a big moment for the club.

The idea is for Sir Jim to have sporting control, this is an absolutely crucial detail. He wants to make an impact and to have a good relationship with the club’s fans. It will take time, because he’ll have to oversee changes to the board, bringing in new directors, and so on.

Has Sir Jim Ratcliffe Won the Race for Manchester United Ownership?

After so many months of negotiations, my understanding from Sheikh Jassim’s end is that the Glazers never really intended to sell the club, they never wanted to fully leave. I can’t confirm anything directly from the Glazer family, but this is the feeling from Sheikh Jassim. He eventually decided that they can’t keep going back and forth like this with no progress, he decided to move on and leave the negotiations.