• Sheikh Jassim submits final bid for Man Utd.

• His debt-free bid promises significant investment.

• British billionaire Ratcliffe is another bidder.

• Glazers plan to sell for a record fee.

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, a Qatari businessman and lifelong Manchester United fan, has made a convincing, debt-free bid for the football club.

This is Jassim’s third and final attempt to take full ownership of the club, and his representatives confirmed that he submitted his bid before the Friday night deadline set by the Glazer family, the current owners of the club.

Jassim, the chairman of a leading Qatari bank and son of a former Qatari prime minister, is seeking to invest not only an undisclosed figure to buy the club, but also a significant amount of additional capital and infrastructure investment into the club directly.

His Nine Two Foundation promised a rosy future for the club, including investment in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience, and the communities the club supports. He plans to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch.

Jassim’s bid is up against that of British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, founder and head of the INEOS chemicals conglomerate, who reportedly submitted his bid seeking 69 percent ownership of the club.

The Qatari businessman’s bid suggests that Qatar is embarking on the next stage of its sporting ambition. The Glazers announced plans to sell the club last November, and the bidding process began in February. They reportedly want to sell for a record fee of 6 billion pounds ($7.5m).

Jassim’s representatives have said that it is now up to the sellers to make a decision as to how they will proceed with the bidding process.

Manchester United fans around the world will be watching closely to see if Jassim’s convincing, debt-free bid will be successful and if he can deliver on his promise to return the club to its former glory.