British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm Ineos have confirmed their bid for "majority ownership" of Manchester United.
The Glazer family are considering selling the club and a 'soft deadline' of Friday had been set for proposals.
Ineos said it wants to make the club a "beacon for a modern, progressive, fan-centred approach to ownership".
In a statement confirming its bid for the 20-time English champions, the company added: "We would see our role as the long-term custodians of Manchester United on behalf of the fans and the wider community.
"We are ambitious and highly competitive and would want to invest in Manchester United to make them the number one club in the world once again.