Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS are hopeful that their offer to buy Manchester United could be officially named as the preferred bid in the next week, 90min understands.

The offer fronted by Ratcliffe is believed to technically value the club higher than the rival world-record £5bn bid from Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

However, this is in part because Ratcliffe only wants to purchase a controlling stake and there is a distinct possibility for the Glazers to remain at Man Utd.