Qatar takeover: What Man Utd should do with €330m

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 8 Feb 2023 09:59 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester United are set to receive an offer from Qatari investors.

A group are hoping to conclude a deal soon and provide Erik ten Hag with a massive transfer kitty for the summer window. The Daily Mail report that there is confidence that a deal can be done, with the Glazers seeking more than £6b for the club.

It will be a welcome change for the supporters and an end to the controversial dynasty of the American owners.

The takeover will be a majority stake and total control of the Premier League giants - with an ambition to get them back to winning silverware.

READ MORE: Man Utd linked with shock transfer for Betis forward

“There are significant funds available,’ a source close to the group told the Daily Mail. “These people are serious. They want to make sure that United are where they should be and they are confident theirs will be the strongest bid.”

Everything points to heavy investment in the future. But a machine gun approach will only end in disaster. The club must be pragmatic, nurture a sustainable model, and most importantly, give Ten Hag the freedom to make his own decisions about recruitment.

The Dutchman currently works beside John Murtagh on that front, and so there is still a level of committee when looking at new players. Man Utd have brought in Ten Hag targets, but it’s always against the backdrop of what the club deems to be a suitable player for the club’s brand.

This level of input must be eradicated. Ten Hag must hold all the cards. And just because new owners are coming in doesn’t mean there is no potential for the hierarchy meddling, If you look at Chelsea, most of their buys have been headed by Todd Boehly, who even acted as an interim sports director. The side do not, on the surface at least, have a clear idea of the sort of player they want and why.

Spending money on talent is great but there must be due diligence on character and the potential impact someone can have on the dressing room. It’s how Liverpool became so successful in recent years, against the backdrop of the spending power of Man City. The Reds certainly made some high-end buys, but they also made shrewd signings at low-cost, and ones who would fit the ethos at the club.

Ten Hag must come first

Luckily, Man Utd have a man in the dugout whose obsessed with mentality. He knows that the club must have a complete overhaul of its identity to succeed to get back to the top. The new Qatari owners must not interfere.

Given Man Utd’s wages expenditure, unlike Newcastle last summer, they will have no issue spending hefty sums almost immediately. But that must be a license to spend carelessly and lace Man Utd with the biggest star names on weighty contracts. We all know where that leads to.

There has to be organic growth - any rupture to the dressing room would be detrimental to the brilliant work Ten Hag has done already. The former Ajax boss has already had to contend with a club in disarray, with fan disgruntlement, with Cristiano Ronaldo making headlines, losing his choice No.9 halfway through the season already, and with the club captain, Harry Maguire, among a string of others, not being conducive to the team. The list can go on.

But all this and Man Utd are still in contention for a Champions League spot this year. Ten Hag has to be first and foremost for this new era to succeed.