The selling of Manchester United drags on.
Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both submitted a second bid for the club last month, with Thomas Zilliacus also saying he had submitted a bid.
The second stage ended last month with uncertainty over whether the process had reached the point of exclusivity being granted.
Apparently, the Glazer family have now decided to extend the process into a third round, allowing potential purchasers an option to put more offers forward in the hope of concluding a deal.
Sheikh Jassim will be expected to submit a new bid to buy the club outright, with Ratcliffe looking to purchase the Glazer family’s 69% share.
Former United player and TV pundit Gary Neville has suggested it could impact United’s transfer activity.
“Taking it to a third round is just classless,” he said. “The market has obviously not given them the answer they want.
“It’s like they’ve made a pact to each other that they won’t go for less than £1bn each family member. If they stay in after all this it will be toxic!”