A leading Manchester United fans' group called on Sunday for clarity on the future of the English giants amid speculation British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is set to take a minority stake in the club.

United's owners, the American Glazer family, announced nearly a year ago that they were exploring "strategic alternatives to enhance the club's growth", with a full sale one of the options.

Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani withdrew his attempt to buy the 20-time English champions, a source close to the bid told AFP on Saturday.

Ratcliffe was the other frontrunner during several rounds of bidding, but no offer has yet met the £6 billion ($7.2 billion) valuation put on the club by the Glazers.

Founder of petrochemicals giant Ineos, Ratcliffe will now settle for a 25 percent stake for around £1.3 billion the BBC said on Sunday.

Read full story on sport.timesofmalta.com

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