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Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) has called for a potential takeover of the club to be concluded ‘without further delay’.

The club announced in November the Glazers were exploring the possible sale of the Red Devils – and now a THIRD stage of proceedings is now understood to be under way as the process rumbles on towards the latter stages of the season.

A first soft deadline on February 17 was initially set by American bank the Raine Group, with a second deadline set for March 22, only for that to be extended.
Finnish businessman Thomas Zilliacus officially pulled out of the race to buy the Premier League giants this week, branding the situation a ‘farce’ with the sale of the club dragging on.

Sheikh Jassim of Qatar and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe remain the two biggest parties in the race, but MUST have demanded clarity on the current takeover situation amid fears prolonging the process will harm summer transfer business and delay major projects, such as redeveloping Old Trafford.

“When it was announced in November that the Glazers were undertaking a “strategic review” and inviting offers to buy the club, MUST welcomed the news and went on to urge the majority owners to move ahead with the process with speed, so that any period of uncertainty was as short as possible,” read a statement.

“Nearly five months on, we read speculation that offers from prospective buyers remain below the Glazers’ valuation, and that a third round of offers will now be invited.

“With Erik ten Hag having made such great progress in his first season, and with the vital summer transfer window a matter of weeks away, the news of these delays and further prolonged uncertainty are of great concern.

“Erik needs to know what resources he has to spend so he can make the signings the club needs, and the whole management resources of the club need to be focused on supporting him in that. That cannot be the case with the future ownership so unclear.

“We are also unable to move forward on major investment projects – not least the stadium redevelopment as we remain in limbo.

“We are in dire need of new investment, which undoubtedly requires new ownership. MUST, along with United fans all around the world, are calling for this process to be concluded without further delay.”