Sheikh Jassim made stunning final offer to buy Manchester United before pulling out of the race - Reports

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani was Manchester United fans' favorite to take over when he threw his hat into the ring to buy the club. However, he eventually pulled out of the race, with The Athletic claiming that the Qatari businessman had made a stunning £5 billion final offer before doing so.

He promised to take up 100% ownership and wipe out Manchester United's massive £725m debt. The plan also included laying out capital for future infrastructure and transforming Old Trafford.

However, the Qatari magnate was dealt a staggering blow, as his offers were rejected by the Glazer family, who own the club. British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now the reported front-runner, who has come up with a £1.3bn offer for a 25% stake in the club.

Earlier in October, Sheikh Jassim withdrew from the bid entirely after multiple offers were rejected. According to The Athletic, his final bid soared to an impressive £5 billion to take Manchester United off the Glazers entirely. This mammoth figure, however, paled in comparison to the owners' sky-high valuation of nearly £6.5 billion.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe's minority stake could spell a new financial chapter for Manchester United

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe's proposed deal to acquire a 25% share of Manchester United is reportedly finalized and he is expected to have a blueprint ready to turn the Red Devils' finances around. Yet, according to The Athletic, the specifics of what the blueprint is or how it would pan out remain under wraps.

The club raked in a staggering £648.4 million for the financial year ending in June, which is no surprise due to their brand power as commercial heavyweights. But despite this windfall, United still managed to post a loss of £28.7 million, albeit an improvement from the prior year's major loss of £115.5 million.

Understandably, their absence from Champions League football last season hurt their broadcasting revenues.