Announced – “Unbelievable” – Ed Woodward reveals Man United new owner ahead of official announcement from Glazers

Manchester United takeover: Sheikh Jassim is still hoping to buy the club, but it’s uncertain whether he’ll be able to beat Sir Jim Ratcliffe to the punch.

Sheikh Jassim’s involvement in a possible takeover of Manchester United this summer cannot be ruled out. If his candidacy is successful, he is said to be willing to follow the Galactico path. While big-name deals would excite fans, Ed Woodward is well aware that marquee players do not always guarantee Premier League and Champions League titles…

Sir Jim Ratcliffe appeared to have beaten Sheikh Jassim in the race to buy United last week.

But the Qatari billionaire believes he still has a chance of acquiring the Red Devils, with reports suggesting he is willing to increase his bid to a whopping £6 billion in order to complete the purchase.

One thing is clear: if Sheikh Jassim is successful, he is willing to spend a lot of money on potential recruits.

Neymar has been mentioned as a prospective target, with the Brazilian international’s future at Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain unknown.

So has his teammate Kylian Mbappe, despite the fact that Real Madrid has long been regarded as the frontrunners in the race to sign him.

And, despite their importance to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, United have been connected with Eduardo Camavinga and Kingsley Coman.

Obviously, the quartet’s names pique the interest of admirers. They’re all A-listers who have thrived at their respective teams.

Woodward, on the other hand, understands all too well that Galacticos don’t always result in trophies, having seen firsthand how major moves may backfire.

Back in 2013, he had his sights set on Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Cesc Fabregas, only to be replaced by Marouane Fellaini.

This laid the path for a disastrous season under David Moyes, who lasted only 10 months despite signing a six-year contract.

Woodward was eager to make amends the following year. The Red Devils’ strategy shifted once Louis van Gaal was appointed manager.

Angel Di Maria was signed for £57 million from Real Madrid, making him the most expensive signing in the club’s history.

The Argentina international would get off to a good start, with a spectacular chip in a 5-3 defeat to Leicester standing out.

However, Di Maria would go off the boil, with a break-in at his family home not helping matters, before leaving for PSG after only a year at the club.

Radamel Falcao arrived in the same summer that the veteran did.

It was a surprise, with the Colombia international joining on loan from Monaco, prompting the sale of Danny Welbeck to rivals Arsenal.

Falcao was regarded as one of the top strikers in the world at the time, having shone for Monaco, Atletico Madrid, and Porto.

But, like Di Maria, he would wind up being a flop, scoring only four goals before returning to Ligue 1, while also struggling at Chelsea.

United did progress the next year, signing younger players such as Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian, and Morgan Schneiderlin.

Despite this, Woodward couldn’t resist bringing in a big name, and with Bastian Schweinsteiger seeking for a fresh challenge, the German landed from Bayern Munich.

Again, he failed to live up to expectations, as injuries plagued him during his stay at Old Trafford.

That disappointed Van Gaal, who had anticipated that reconciling with his former Bayern Munich captain would pave the road for the glory days to return.

Woodward chose to go down the Galactico route once more in 2016, signing Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic would be a rare success, scoring 28 goals in all competitions in his sole season in England.

While Pogba was part of a team that won two titles under Jose Mourinho, he was seen as a disappointment overall last year.

Although Ronaldo was later signed by United in 2021, he, too, was unable to be the path to the top.

On paper, Neymar, Mbappe, Camavinga, and Coman would all boost United and maybe push them closer to Arsenal and Manchester City.

However, Sheikh Jassim would be wise to consider the history when planning for a potential future as owner.