There is a purchase offer from Qatar for the traditional English club Manchester United. Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani confirmed in a press release on Friday evening that he had “made an offer for 100 per cent of Manchester United Football Club”. The US owners of the English football club, the Glazer family, announced last year that they were open to offers.
According to the announcement, bank boss Al Thani, who was trained in England, wants to handle the purchase through his Nine Two Foundation. “The offer envisages returning the club to its former glory, both on and off the pitch,” it said. It is the second offer for Manchester United to be made public, after British businessman Jim Ratcliffe expressed interest.
A lot of money is flowing into football from Qatar, which hosted the World Cup last year. This is most obvious at Paris Saint-Germain. The Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) fund joined the French club in 2011. The emirate also participated in the Portuguese SC Braga and in the sports media group beIN Media Group.
After hosting what it considered to be a successful Football_World Cup, QSI decided to invest in at least one Premier League club. The league’s continued growth and global profile are key for the emirate.
Manchester United should not be the sheiks’ only option. Allegedly, the chairman of Qatar Sports Investment, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, had already held talks with the president of Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel Levi, about a potential stake in the traditional London club. QSI is also said to have taken a closer look at Liverpool FC. The rumored talks have so far remained unconfirmed. Unlike Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are said to have been about investments.
