Time is running out for prospective bidders to make their offers to buy Manchester United.

Sheikh Jassim and INEOS founder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, remain the only two figures to have gone public with their interest (at the time of publication).

But further offers are expected before the 9pm deadline tonight.

Sky Sports News has reported that more than five bids will be submitted tonight, and potentially as many as eight.

The PA news agency said they understand Sheikh Jassim will submit a second bid before the cut-off as they remain confident their proposal is the best one for the club, the fans and the city of Manchester as a whole.

The Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim attended Old Trafford and the club’s Carrington training ground last week to hold more talks as part of their due diligence.

Meetings went on for 10 hours and were described as positive and constructive by sources close to Sheikh Jassim.

The Oldham Times: Sheikh Jassim is one of two confirmed biddersSheikh Jassim is one of two confirmed bidders (Image: PA)

INEOS representatives, including Ratcliffe himself, also visited United last Friday.

Ratcliffe is set to be warier in his assessment of the process, insisting he will not pay a “stupid” price as the bidding war heats up.

United’s owners the Glazer family have reportedly set a £6 billion figure for their valuation of a club they bought for £750 million in 2005.

The Oldham Times: Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said he will not pay a stupid price as the bidding war for Manchester United heats upSir Jim Ratcliffe has said he will not pay a stupid price as the bidding war for Manchester United heats up

Talking to the Wall Street Journal, Ratcliffe said: “How do you decide the price of a painting? How do you decide the price of a house? It’s not related to how much it cost to build or how much it cost to paint.

“What you don’t want to do is pay stupid prices for things because then you regret it subsequently.”

However, Ratcliffe, who already owns the French club Nice, said his interest in United would be “purely in winning things”, calling the club a “community asset”.