Premier League club owners are worried that Manchester United, the division’s largest club, may end up being viewed as state-controlled if Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani acquires it....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Al Thani has put forward five separate bids to acquire 100% of Manchester United from the Glazer family and has been linked to Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority.
Although Sheikh Jassim denies that his proposed ownership has direct ties to Qatar’s government, the involvement of Paris Saint-Germain Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has raised suspicions.
The PSG boss has been in direct contact with the Glazers to assist Sheikh Jassim in purchasing United, which has been on the market since November 2021.
Al-Khelaifi is also in charge of Qatar Sports Investments and is a member of QIA’s board, being asked by the Qatari government to raise the Gulf state’s reputation in the world of sports after the 2022 World Cup.
Concerns are that Sheikh Jassim would only be the face for the state of Qatar to rule over United and push a state-controlled agenda.
In 2021, the Saudi-backed acquisition of Newcastle United made many Premier League clubs worried that their history could be forgotten and remembered only as a vehicle to improve a foreign country’s reputation, with concerns about the human rights record of the nation backing the investment. It’s now feared the same may happen again with Manchester United if the acquisition goes through.
According to The Athletic, Sheikh Jassim’s efforts to buy United might be in vain, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS reportedly in direct talks with the club’s hierarchy.
Ratcliffe only wants to purchase up to 70% of the club, keeping the Glazers involved until 2026, but the American family is holding out to see if they can find a buyer willing to match their £6 billion asking price.
Although there have been three rounds of bidding so far, it’s unclear what the final outcome will be.
