Super-agent Pini Zahavi was unmasked in the Sunday papers as the mastermind behind the offer a £1 billion cash bid for Manchester United.

GettyImagesPini Zahavi (far right) represents players like Rio Ferdinand (second from right).

• Fergie denies backing Red Knights

Zahavi's identity was well known to Old Trafford insiders as the man who had placed the cash offer on the table - and which had been rejected by the Glazer family, the club's American owners.

Zahavi has close links with Sir Alex Ferguson, counting him as a personal friend, he is the agent for Rio Ferdinand, dealing with his big money transfers and contracts, while he has brokered other takeover deals, and is close to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. His contacts worldwide give him access to the world's richest men.

The world's No 1 wheeler dealer would have put the bid through the proper channels, via chief executive David Gill, as Zahavi has a good relationship with the Manchester United hierarchy.

The Red Knights, by contrast, have angered Gill and brought an uncharacteristic response from the chief executive publicly rebuking key-man Keith Harris for trying to persuade United fans to rebel against the club and damage it financially by declining to buy merchandise and not renew season tickets.

Zahavi has poured cold water on the Red Knights' attempts to takeover United, arguing that the Glazers decline to deal with individuals who can instantly produce proof of funds, and would be put off by the strong arm tactics of the group.

Zahavi is aware of the reasons why the Glazers are refusing to sell, because they actually enjoy running the world's biggest sporting brand and have no intention of giving it up.

We reported that it would take a knockout bid close to £1.5 billion to tempt the Glazers, who had turned down that figure just over two years ago from a Chinese consortium.

Zahavi declined to disclose the two groups now bidding for Manchester United, but other sources indicated one was from the Middle East, while the other was, presumably, the Chinese group returning to the negotiating table.

However, the Glazers are refusing to even negotiate, and any offer, at least for the time being, is dead in the water.

The only chance would be a straight forward cash offer of £1.5 billion which would buy out the Glazers and show funds available for new players and investment.

At the moment Zahavi has proof of funds with the cash lodged in a Swiss bank account, but he knows he will have to up the bid considerably to tempt the Glazers even to discuss it.

Soccernet has learned that the Red Knights value Manchester United at £800 million and are not prepared to pay the Glazers a premium price.

While the Red Knights have allowed their talks to become public knowledge, Zahavi works in secret and it is a shock that one of the Sunday papers should have unmasked him.

However the identities of the Zahavi bidders still remain a mystery, but he does have powerful connections in Russia and the Middle East, and he has been the man behind the scenes trying to help his friend and client Avram Grant at cash stricken Portsmouth.