BID TIME STORY FIVE serious contenders have emerged in the race to buy Manchester United.

The Red Devils have been on the market since November, when the Glazer family finally succumbed to fan protests.

Avram Glazer, left, and Joel Glazer, right, are finally set to sell Man Utd
US merchant bankers Raine are overseeing the sale and have set a February 17 deadline for offers to be submitted.

Boyhood Man Utd fan and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe was joined in the race by a Qatari bid earlier this week.

And according to the Mail, as many as FIVE legitimate contenders are set to battle it out for the Red Devils.

Ratcliffe, 70, has reportedly recruited Wall Street giants JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs to assist in his offer.

But the Qataris – whose bid comes from an individual fund and is not formally affiliated with Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari Sports Investment ownership – are confident they will produce the most compelling offer.

Among the other serious contenders are claimed to be multiple Saudi bids.

A number of potential Saudi Arabian buyers have reportedly expressed their interest and signed confidentiality agreements in order to view United’s financials.

None of them are affiliated with Newcastle United’s ownership group.

The Glazer family are looking to receive around £6bn for the 20-time English champions.

But a fee of between £4.1bn-£4.5bn has been deemed more feasible.

It’s understood the successful bidder will likely have to spend around £2bn on upgrading facilities at Old Trafford and Carrington.

Back in November, United legend David Beckham was linked with fronting a consortium to try and buy his old club.

Tech giants Apple and Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega were mentioned as contenders when the Glazers first expressed a willingness to sell.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has plenty of competition to buy Man Utd