The chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Al Thani, has acknowledged the filing of a proposal for the full acquisition of Manchester United.

A “soft” deadline of Friday at 22:00 GMT was reportedly set, and offers were expected from a Qatari delegation and British tycoon Jim Ratcliffe.

The Glazer family, who have held primary ownership of the Old Trafford club for 18 years, decided to put United up for sale in November.

Read Also:Glazer Family Ready To Sell Manchester United After 17 Years

Despite rumors that some members of the Glazer family want to keep running the club, it appears that The Glazers’ time in charge is actually coming to an end. The Glazers have received criticism from fans throughout their stewardship.

Al Thani is the first to officially announce the submission of a genuine offer, even though Ratcliffe, the owner of the chemicals business INEOS, acknowledged interest last month.

According to a widely circulated statement, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani “confirmed his filing of a bid for 100% of Manchester United Football Club today [Friday].”

“The bid plans to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch, and – above all – will seek to place the fans at the heart of Manchester United Football Club once more.

“The bid will be completely debt free via Sheikh Jassim’s Nine Two Foundation, which will look to invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the club supports.

“The vision of the bid is for Manchester United Football Club to be renowned for footballing excellence, and regarded as the greatest football club in the world.

“More details of the bid will be released, when appropriate, if and when the bid process develops.”