Ratcliffe is expected to purchase 25 per cent of the Premier League club for £1.3bn in a deal which would give his company, INEOS, control over Man Utd's footballing operations.

"It's a very complicated deal but I think that is why it is taking a little bit longer than anticipated," said Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol. "We're approaching the endgame and I think that is going to be Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying at least a minority stake to begin with."

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Another indication that Ratcliffe's deal for United is getting closer is a report from Bloomberg which claims INEOS will hold a credit update call on Monday at 3pm to update shareholders. The petrochemicals company is not commenting.

Thursday's Manchester United board meeting is standard practice and has not been called to specifically discuss this deal. They are usually partly virtual because the Glazer family are based in the United States.

It is also unlikely there will be a resolution to the strategic review which sparked the long-winded takeover race involving Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim after it was announced last November.

The Qatari bid led by Sheikh Jassim withdrew from the process last weekend eight months after initially declaring its plans for buying Man Utd. This, it is thought, was the only offer for 100 per cent of the club.

Ratcliffe initially wanted to buy the Glazers' 69 per cent shareholding, but has agreed to leave the American family with their majority stake ahead of a potential full takeover.

Analysis: How Ratcliffe could take full control of Man Utd

Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

"This is a regular board meeting tomorrow (Thursday). It's been in the diary for a long time. The board meeting hasn't been called to discuss or ratify a specific deal, so I would be surprised if there was any announcement tomorrow about Sir Jim Ratcliffe buying 25 per cent of Manchester United.

"The deal that Ratcliffe is trying to do with the Glazer family is a very, very complicated deal because he wants to buy a minority stake to begin with.

"The Glazer family own 69 per cent of the club, so you've got to think about the other 31 per cent of the shares that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange as well.

"You have to do a deal probably for the B shares owned by the Glazers and the A shares that are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Then there has to be an agreement about Ratcliffe buying the rest of the shares and owning the whole club, if that is what he wants to do.

"Also there has to be an agreement over his control of the football side of the operation when he only owns 25 per cent of the club."