Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad has submitted a new improved bid for Manchester United ahead of the deadline for second bids, Sky News understands.

The Sheikh, chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), made a second bid for Manchester United after his representatives visited the Premier League club last week.

It was previously understood he would not pay over the odds for the club, which current owners the Glazer family are believed to have valued at £6bn.

But the Sheikh’s position is believed to have softened after a Qatari delegation visited Old Trafford in recent days, with talks lasting 10 hours.

Sky News understands that as many as seven other bids could be made before today’s deadline for second offers.

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, through his chemical firm INEOS, is also expected to make a second offer for the club after visiting last week.

Read more: The contenders to buy Man Utd

Manchester United sale: Eight bids could be made as Wednesday deadline looms

Manchester United takeover: Sheikh Jassim expected to make a second bid for club within 10 days

Manchester United bidders to meet officials within weeks to review club accounts

A delegation from INEOS spent six hours attending meetings and touring the club’s Old Trafford stadium and its Carrington training ground.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

But another option for the Glazer family is a deal in which they could keep control of United by agreeing to a minority deal.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who owns French club Nice, hinted he would not paid over the odds for the club.

Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts

He told the Wall Street Journal: “How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house? It’s not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint.

“What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently,” he said.

Related posts:

Gardening regularly improves mental and physical wellbeing, study shows COVID vaccine programme opens to all adults in Northern Ireland UK records 38,046 new COVID cases and 100 more deaths Sister of teen who died from COVID-19 says she cries herself to sleep every night Soldiers to begin delivering fuel today as driver shortage continues Train involved in Salisbury crash ran 220 metres past stop signal, investigators find FA Cup shock as non-league Boreham Wood reach fifth round – with tie against Premier League giant ‘Deeply upsetting’ to refuse Volodymyr Zelenskyy a no-fly zone over Ukraine, PM says Couple gear up for Glastonbury for first time as lottery millionaires in old caravan ‘I’m working all the hours I can’: Nearly third of people more depressed about cost of living, Sky news poll reveals Hospital to launch care review after death of five-year-old with Strep A BBC ‘climbdown’ over Lineker row sparks jibes among celebrities – but Tory MPs not happy with U-turn