The way it was explained to me, Ratcliffe has offered more money to the Glazers. The payout scheme or the timetable is completely irrelevant to them as long as they get their money. If Jassim wanted the club so much, he should have offered more than Ratcliffe. Ratcliffe simple gave the Glazers the better offer. That's the long and short of it. Whether it's best for the club or not ultimately doesn't matter.
This latest bid by the Qatari is their way to save face. I think the deadline put forward is not coincidental. I imagine Ratcliffe wants the announcement done this weekend, as a way to shit on City's treble parade, and Qatar are getting ahead of it.