Two surprising tycoons, Manchester United's confirmed bidders

Today was a key day in the battle to buy Manchester United, and it is reported that interested parties will be asked to submit a second offer that will be reviewed. It is not known how many bidders there are or if some, rather than seek full control, are offering to support the current owners, the Glazer family, with a significant investment.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the 70-year-old Manchester-born businessman is one of the richest people in Britain, with a personal fortune estimated at approximately £6 billion. A childhood United fan who grew up on council property, he founded the chemical company Ineos in 1998 and oversaw its growth into a company now worth an estimated £50bn.

His interest in sports has become notorious in recent years. He owns French Ligue 1 side Nice and Swiss Super League side FC Lausanne-Sport, as well as the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team. Last year he bid to buy Chelsea, where he once held a season ticket but ultimately lost out to American Todd Boehly. His offer would be financed through Ineos.

The sheikh of Qatar is the president of the Islamic Bank of Qatar, one of the largest banks in his country. His father, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, is a former prime minister of the Middle Eastern state. There is relatively little information about him in the public domain, but it is known that he attended a boarding school in the UK and then the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, during which time he apparently fell in love with United.

The two highest bidders.

The two who have chosen to go public with their intentions, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are both looking to make a full takeover. It should be remembered that in the midst of a possible controversy over the state ownership of the clubs, Sheikh Jassim was clear when announcing his offer that his interest was a private initiative through his Nine Two Foundation. He hopes to take 100 per cent control of the club and has promised, if he does, to pay off all debts and invest heavily in the club and its infrastructure and support local communities.