I wonder if there's something deeper going on here with regards to the events of the last few weeks. I've been thinking about the statements we've heard from the Jassim camp such as the accusations of the Glazers shifting goalposts during negotiations and seemingly having agreements in place only for them to be changed shortly after. We heard pretty scathing accusations levied at the Glazers from the Jassim consortium throughout and especially recently not least that they have refused double enterprise value offers with pledged investments on top - this feels very deliberate - almost as if they don't believe that Ratcliffe offer will go through for whatever reason.
Maybe they believe there's legal trouble ahead with Ratcliffe’s offer down to the Glazers ducking their fiduciary responsibility to shareholders (because we know full well that Ratcliffe hasn't wanted to cash any of them in at any stage) and that once we get to see the SEC filing, all correspondence, values, meetings etc will be public knowledge and that could throw up some legal issues. Something I don't think anyone has considered up to this point. If Jassim's team is truthful in their accusations that the Glazers were just looking to cash themselves in and enrich themselves at the expense of the asset and it's future then I wonder if there's appetite there from shareholders to pursue this.
I just haven't been able to ever get around how the Glazers could ever accept an offer, considering they have a fiduciary responsibility to shareholders, that only benefitted them. It's why I have always maintained it will be a full sale and why I've always pointed to the much moaned about pledged investment as a clever legal security blanket should this process end up in court. If it did ever end up in court then I'm sure the courts rule in favour of whatever deal is best for the asset, not what is best for the majority shareholder. I could be wrong, maybe a corporate lawyer could clarify that.
Late night food for thought. I should sleep.