Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani has submitted a £4 billion ($4.82 billion) bid for Manchester United.

The bid from Sheikh al-Thani, via his Nine Two Foundation, came before Friday’s 10pm “soft” deadline for all potential buyers to lodge their opening offers for the club. 

Thani is the son of Qatar’s former prime minister. He is understood to have become a United fan in 1992, the reason for the name of the Nine Two Foundation.