The Glazers are unlikely to reveal their preferred bidder for Man Utd on Friday, according to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, as the takeover process rumbles on.

Both Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe – who are the two bidders to make their interest public – made their third offers by the Glazers’ April 28 deadline.

But, with Ratcliffe’s camp confident of winning the race for the club, it was announced last week that Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim had made an improved bid – this time directly to the Glazers – in a fourth attempt to acquire the Premier League outfit.

A report on Wednesday claimed that a ‘milestone’ was possible on Friday (May 26) with Independent journalist Miguel Delaney insisting Man Utd bidders are ‘hopeful there will be an announcement regarding a preferred bidder by the close of the domestic season, and potentially as early as Friday this week.’

Delaney added: ‘Although that is already much later than expected, and will bring some more clarity, sources with knowledge of the situation are describing it as “another milestone of constant milestones” in a process that could yet go on months.’

The Man Utd supporters are now concerned that any further delay in the process to take over the club could have a big impact on Erik ten Hag’s efforts to improve his side in the transfer window.

And now reliable journalist Jacobs insists that the rumoured Friday announcement of a preferred bidder was “optimistic” and that no bidder for Man Utd currently has “exclusivity”.

Jacobs told GiveMeSport: “Not necessarily. It’s been a process of twists, turns, and surprises. But, speaking to those close to the process, it appears it’s optimistic that a preferred bidder would be announced by Friday.

“There is a lot of back talk at the moment and back and forth between the parties and Raine Group. Nobody has been placed in a period of exclusivity at this point.

“It’ll be interesting to see whether, as or when there is a preferred bidder, if that preferred bidder comes with exclusivity, because, if not, the door will always be open to another party.”

When asked earlier this month if he had been told that transfer funds would be there this summer irrespective of how the takeover process pans out, Ten Hag said: “No, I don’t have. I don’t have influence on that, I don’t have… also I don’t know.

“The only thing what I know is that Man United is one of the biggest clubs and I think it’s among maybe (the) two biggest clubs in the world from a fanbase perspective.

“So, I think this club has to compete for the highest in the world, so Champions League, Premier League.

“But in football, you need funds to construct squads because at the end of the day, the level from your players makes if you are successful or not.”

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