Qatari Banker Sheikh Jassim’s monumental last offer

By Ed Emeanua

Qatari and British billionaires, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Jim Ratcliffe made their third and last bids to acquire Manchester United on Friday-a monumental $6.2 billion deal-reports claim.

Sheikh Hamad Al Thani and Sir Ratcliffe tendered revised offers of their two earlier bids for the English Premier League (EPL) giants yesterday. The Billionaires are embroiled in a bidding war following their emergence as the leading competitors to purchase the EPL side from current owners, the Glazer family.

The Glazers, owners of the club since 2005, must now make a crucial choice whether to sell all 69 per cent shareholding of the club or become a minority investor in the business.

Friday’s cutoff point for the third round of bids was put in place at 10pm UK (5pm ET), with the two primary groups and the bulk of collective bidders-Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe-tendering their deals to Raine Group before the deadline. Whereas Sheikh Jassim’s newest deal is said to be above £5 billion ($6.2 billion), the scale of Ratcliffe’s revised offer is yet to be disclosed at the close of Friday’s deadline for the third round of bidding at 2100 GMT.

Reports claim that Sheikh Jassim’s offer for total control of Manchester United includes the commitment of noteworthy supplemental provision for transfers and infrastructure. The investment would involve either demolishing the club’s archaic Old Trafford stadium or erect a new one, in line with with modernizing the club’s practice amenities.

Sheikh Jassim’s offer also commits to payoff the club’s $620 million debt. INEOS chemical company owner Ratcliffe, a boyhood Old Trafford fan who fell short in his effort to purchase Chelsea last year, intends to buy a managing holdup in United worth over 50 percent, according to reports.

This proposal allows United’s executive co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer to continue as owners with a 20 percent investment, which troubles a section of United’s fanbase who are fatigued by the Americans’ controversial rule. The Glazers reports say, demand a world record £6 billion payment for United before agreeing to let go their ownership of the club, heightening the likelihood they may not welcome either Sheikh Jassim’s deal or Ratcliffe’s proposal.

Very unpopular among United’s fans from the time they yoked down United with debt in a £790 million leveraged ownership in 2005, the Glazers seemed prepared to offload their investment at a huge profit when they initially opened the door to outside investors in November.

But, Elliot Investment Management and The Carlyle Group are among the special equity firms in the market for a minority stake that could allow the Glazers to keep their control and provide the money for investment in the club’s infrastructure.

Avram and Joel Glazer are said to be keen to hold on to their investments in Old Trafford, but siblings and codirectors Kevin, Bryan and Edward Glazer and Darcie Glazer Kassewitz are open to selling their claims.

Sheikh Jassim’s third bid through his Nine Two Foundation is reported to be more than £5billion ($6.3bn) and will give him total ownership of United. Sources close to the Qatari Banker claim it will also be his final bid and, if it sails through, it would be a world-record amount paid for a sporting charter, shading the $4.65billion (£3.7bn) paid by the Walton-Penner family for the Denver Broncos in the NFL in August.

Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari royal who is the son of the former prime minister and chairman of QIB (Qatar Islamic Bank), is reported to be a lifelong Manchester United fan.

Focuses on two vital positions after his unveiling as Chelsea manager

By Ed Emeanua

Mauricio Pochettino will take over Chelsea FC manager’s role next season having verbally committed to the position according to talkSPORT, and has tasked the club to transfer Victor Osimhen and Jude Bellingham over to Stamford Bridge at all cost this summer.

Chelsea enjoys the fifth scare amount of goals in the Premier League this season, with 30 strikes from 31 encounters, notwithstanding expending over £200m on the acquisition of strikers under the tenure of Todd Boehly.

Romelu Lukaku is on his way back to Stamford Bridge from his loan spell at Inter Milan, while Napoli’s forward Osimhen has been strongly associated with the Blues.

Chelsea have the unenviable task of trimming down a tumefied troop in west London before the 2023/24 season following their current proprietorship’s decision to splash a landmark £600 million in a campaign.

Despite the amazing spending, there are in some ways yet glaring cracks in the team also, which the new manager will be tasked to plug.

The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager will likely commence his Chelsea duty by singling out two vital areas subsequent to his selection as Chelsea boss.

Pochettino will become Chelsea’s fourth boss inside one year, with incumbent part-owner Todd Boehly, already sacking Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, before hiring Frank Lampard on a short term arrangement.

So far, Chelsea icon Lampard has lost all the four games he has prosecuted on his return to the Stamford Bridge dugout, but is anticipated to end the season at the club, even with his lack of success.

Transfer commentator Fabrizio Romano informed Caught Offside when asked to analyze the areas of improvement at Chelsea: “For targets, it’s still early to mention names but for sure Chelsea will go for new number 6, new striker and the rest will be discussed in the next weeks, including the Mason Mount situation.”

In the number six role, or defensive midfield, Chelsea have so far, shattered the English transfer fee record to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £107m, but look set to lose N’Golo Kante with his contract about to run out.

The Club are expected to be in contention to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, just as West Ham’s Declan Rice remains a subject of interest.

Ex-Premier League star and boxing champ beats up family member in brutal pub brawl

Former footballer, non-league manager and boxing champion Curtis Woodhouse has incurred costs of almost £9,000 after pleading guilty to assaulting a family member at a Yorkshire pub last year, reports Mark Whiley and Mark Naylor for Daily Star.

Curtis Woodhouse in action for Sheffield United in 2000 (Image: Press Association)

Footballer-turned-boxing champion Curtis Woodhouse has been left with a hefty court bill after attacking a man in a pub.

Woodhouse, who played for Birmingham City in the Premier League before turning to boxing and winning the British light-welterweight title, admitted assaulting the man by beating in an east Yorkshire boozer on August 20 last year.

The 43-year-old has now been fined £6,500 and ordered to pay £300 compensation at Hull Magistrates’ Court following a violent incident in Driffield, in which it’s claimed he punched and kicked his cousin. As well as the fine and compensation, District Judge Mark Daley ordered Woodhouse to pay a Government-imposed £2,000 victims’ surcharge and £85 costs. His total court bill amounted to £8,885.

The assault occurred after tempers flared at the pub, reports HullLive, with words allegedly being said in the toilets before escalating in a beer garden. His guilty plea was accepted by the prosecution on the basis of punching and kicking by Woodhouse.

Defense solicitor Mike Farr said that Woodhouse pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity in the magistrates’ court on the first listing of the case. He made admissions and regretted his behavior during the assault. The victim was a member of Woodhouse’s extended family.

Curtis Woodhouse (right) in boxing action (Image: PA)

Woodhouse now ran his own company, said Mr. Farr. The sportsman had previous convictions, including being convicted at Bridlington Magistrates’ Court in 2006 of assaulting a police officer and using threatening words or behavior.

That incident happened after the policeman was called to a Bridlington pub where Woodhouse had become drunk and aggressive. Woodhouse was given 120 hours’ unpaid work and was ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Curtis Woodhouse during his time as Gainsborough Trinity manager (Image: thenpl.co.uk)

Curtis Woodhouse has been fined over the incident

Woodhouse played for a number of clubs during his football career, including Sheffield United, Hull City, Peterborough United and Grimsby Town. After becoming disillusioned with the game, he switched to boxing with great success.

Since hanging up the gloves, he has managed at non-league football level with Sheffield FC, Goole, Bridlington Town, Gainsborough Trinity and, most recently as boss of Marske United, who sacked him earlier this year.