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• Sheikh Jassim bid still on table as Manchester United takeover tests patience

  Sheikh Jassim’s fifth and final bid to buy Manchester United will remain on the table beyond Friday but the Qatari’s patience with the takeover process is wearing thin.

  The Sheikh and his Nine Two Foundation, which is seeking to buy 100 per cent of the club, are understood to feel that by Friday United’s owners, the Glazer family, and the Raine banking group which is conducting the sale process will have had ample time to seek or request clarification and revision of the bid, and will therefore no longer engage with them on it beyond this date.

  Some observers have interpreted the submission of two additional bids from Sheikh Jassim as an indication that the rival offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos is preferred by the Glazers.

  However, sources close to the Qatari say he is simply keen to bring the matter to a swift conclusion with a crucial summer transfer window for United coming up.

  The fifth and final bid was issued earlier this week, and Sheikh Jassim considers it an enormous premium on the current share price of the club, both now and at any stage of the club’s recent share price.

  Ratcliffe is understood to have made an improved offer on April 28. It has been reported that his offer enables Avram and Joel Glazer to retain a 20 per cent stake in the club, something the Ineos camp has not confirmed.

  The Glazers are reported to value the club at £6billion.

  This is a crunch period on and off the field for United, who won the Carabao Cup, finished third in the Premier League and lost Saturday’s FA Cup final in Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.

  Co-owner Avram Glazer was at Wembley for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and ignored questions about the takeover as he left through the interview area.

  Asked about the potential takeover and summer improvements, United boss Ten Hag said: “I think in this moment I don’t want to discuss that.

  “It’s about finalising the season. We have to be quiet, analyse the season, go into the depth, then set the right conclusions and then take action.”

• England to face Portugal in Milton Keynes ahead of Women’s World Cup

  England will face Portugal on July 1 in their final home warm-up match before flying to Australia for the Women’s World Cup.

  Sarina Wiegman’s side are due to leave for the tournament four days after the meeting with their fellow finalists in Milton Keynes, with the game to kick-off at 3:15pm and be broadcast live on ITV.

  Their opening game of the competition, which is being hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, is against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July, before the team fly to Sydney to face Denmark then finish the group stage against China in Adelaide.

  Wiegman finalised her squad for the World Cup, which England are looking to win for the first time following their Euro 2022 triumph last summer, in May with Arsenal’s Beth Mead a notable absence through injury.

  Portugal are competing for the first time in the World Cup and are building on their first major tournament appearances at the last two editions of the European Championships.

  Canada will be England’s final warm-up opponents in a behind-closed-doors friendly on July 14.

  “I am really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much.

  “This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well and are going to their first World Cup.

  “Portugal will also want to show they can be a threat to teams in Australia, and they have very technical players with good ability. For us, it will be important to come together again as a team after the end of the club season and feel the support of our fans.

  “We will do our best to give them a good performance. It will only be three weeks until our opening World Cup game so it will be such an important moment in our preparation.”

  The Football Association and Women’s Super League clubs had been in a dispute over the release date for players called up to the squad.

  The FIFA-sanctioned date by which clubs must make players available is July 10, just 10 days before the tournament kicks off.

  It was reported last week that the FA had planned for the squad to meet up on June 19, though a formal agreement between parties took time to reach.

  That date has now been confirmed by the FA, which said in a statement: “We are grateful for the mutual understanding of the clubs, as we have collectively worked towards a solution with the wellbeing of players at the heart.”

  England beat Portugal the last time the sides met competitively, Toni Duggan and Nikita Parris scoring the goals in a 2-1 win for the Lionesses in the Euro 2017 group stage.

• Phil Neville joins Canada coaching staff

  Phil Neville has joined the coaching staff of the Canada national team just days after leaving his role with Inter Miami.

  The 46-year-old will join up as part of John Herdman’s technical team alongside Richard Shaw, and the two new additions will be part of Canada’s plans for their CONCACAF Nations League finals in Las Vegas.

  Neville was relieved of his duties with Inter Miami last week with the club sitting rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer, just days before Lionel Messi was announced as their new marquee signing.

  The former England Women boss will take a familiar role with another national team after leading the Lionesses to a fourth-place finish at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and 2019 SheBelieves Cup success.

  Canada reached just their second ever World Cup in 2022 and first since 1986 but exited the group stage, and now have the opportunity for their first trophy since 2000 when they play Panama in the semi-finals of the Nations League where the winners face the United States or Mexico for the trophy.

  Shaw will take up a similar position to Neville and his first as part of any national team having previously been involved at Watford, Millwall and Crystal Palace.

  Following the announcement, Canada boss Herman told their website: “Both Phil and Richard bring with them winning experience at the highest levels and have worked with some of the Premier League’s top managers during their careers.

  “They’ll work as positional and unit coaches with the aim of helping us to win our first trophy in over two decades.”