Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes he's missed out on Manchester United.

The billionaire Brit became the first person to register his interest in buying the club in November last year.

And this week he made a big move by recruiting JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs to help with his bid.

But Ratcliffe's efforts could hit a big obstacle which would allow other interested parties to take advantage.

Several groups are believed to be considering bids including individuals from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

And those wealthy backers could potentially outbid Ratcliffe - who is only prepared to offer £4billion, says Foot Mercato.

The report claims Raine Group, the company overseeing the sale, are seeking £6bn.

However a more realistic range of £4.1bn-£4.5bn is being estimated.

Speculation has been rampant on who the potential new owners could be, with a deadline of February 17 set for bids to be submitted.

Recent reports have suggested a remarkable bid has been launched by a Qatar-based group, with talks already underway for a £4.5bn takeover.