Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is concerned about the sale of the club and its potential impact on his summer transfer plans, it has been claimed.
United have been up for sale since November but a preferred bidder for the club is yet to be named six months down the line.
Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and INEOS owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe have both submitted several bids for the Premier League side, while a number of other parties have expressed an interest in purchasing a minority stake in the club.
Banking group Raine, which is handling the sale on behalf of the club’s owners – the Glazers, is running out of time to name a preferred bidder before the transfer window opens for English clubs on June 14.
ESPN claim Manchester United are pushing ahead with a bid to sign Mason Mount despite ongoing uncertainty over the club’s ownership.
It is claimed that United’s board, which includes co-chairmen Joel and Avram Glazer, has given the ‘green light’ for the club to sign Mount.
The England international has already rejected the offer of a new deal at Chelsea and has reportedly informed the club he wants to leave this summer, with United in talks to sign him.
Football Insider claim Chelsea are seeking £70m for the midfielder after initially asking for £80m.
While United are yet to agree a fee, negotiations between the two clubs are said to be ‘advancing’.
Ten Hag ‘concerned’ about transfer plans
Sources have told ESPN that Ten Hag is growing concerned about his summer transfer plans as he remains ‘in the dark’ about how much money is available for new players.
Ten Hag is said to have had ‘little information’ about how the sale process is progressing.
ESPN claim that both Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim have senior management teams in place should either of their offers be accepted.
However, any transition to new ownership is likely to take time and could disrupt the club’s transfer business, with the summer window now just days away.
“Plainly obvious the Glazer family aren’t going to announce anything on the ownership until the season is closed,” tweeted Neville ahead of the FA Cup final.
“They’ve been spinning it out unprofessionally for weeks and months now. They know fan protests would have been more significant than they already have if matches were still being played and the end result of the sale process is unpopular.
“Basically any family members staying in would be deemed unacceptable by all fans. Is this why they’re holding off?”