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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Jack Flintham

'Don't give me hope' - Manchester United fans cling to takeover theory after tracking Qatar flight

Manchester United supporters desperate for news on the Old Trafford takeover continue to wait for developments.

Earlier this week, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani submitted a fifth bid to buy United from the Glazers. Some reports have suggested the Qatari-native had given the United owners a deadline of Friday to accept the deal or risk him pulling out.

This has led to concern from sections of the fanbase who would welcome Sheikh Jassim's takeover of the Reds. And, such is the desperation for news on the topic, one dedicated Twitter account to United supporters believed they may have spotted a flight which could have the bidders' representatives on board.

The Utd Paper account shared a screenshot on Thursday night of a flight from Rimini in Italy to London Heathrow. After seeing the plane on the Flightradar24 website, the Reds' Twitter group discovered it was a Qatar Executive plane.

ALSO READ: Ratcliffe has made United takeover plan clear

While the people on board are unknown, it has not some United fans from hoping it's Sheikh Jassim or his team. Taking to Twitter, hopeful supporters expressed their feelings about the possibility.

United fans have been frustrated with the drawn out process of the takeover. Former bidder Thomas Zilliacus called out the Glazers after a third round of bids were announced for the club. In a tweet this morning, the Finnish businessman officially ruled himself out of the process.

He wrote: "XXI Century Football Capital believes the price of Manchester United has reached levels where investments no longer make sense. We therefore have turned our attention to other clubs."

A Manchester Evening News special souvenir edition - Fergie's First - charts United's 1992/93 title-winning campaign and you can get your hands on one here

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