“So I’m still hopeful of a deal being struck. But it’s impossible to be certain of anything, because the people who own the club have maintained such an ­undignified silence.

“It has now got to the point where the temperature of the fanbase is starting to rise again. And if that is allowed to go unchecked then Erik ten Hag and his players will find themselves at the ­centre of a storm that is not of their making.”

The Glazers put United up on the market in November. Sheikh Jassim of Qatar and INEOS billionaire Ratcliffe have each made a minimum of 5 affords - though there was little communication because the former submitted his newest proposal in early June. 

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