Man Utd: Sheikh Jassim ‘could buy’ another Premier League club instead

Jacque Talbot

• 17 May 2023 11:30 BST
• 3 min read

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani may look to buy another club instead of Manchester United.

The Qatari banker submitted a £5.5billion bid for the club, in what is thought to be his final offer to the Glazers.

It came after suggestions Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the preferred bidder. It is believed to be the last bid he will make.

READ MORE: Glazers to stay? Why Sheikh Jassim’s FOURTH Man Utd takeover bid may fail

The offer will include £1b to clear the massive debt the club has. It also has a separate fund which will be used to boost the club and local community, according to reports.

But there are fears that Sheikh Jassim may turn his attention elsewhere.

ESPN journalist Mark Ogden, who covers the club, told The United Stand: “They want the Premier League footprint. Somebody told me recently, they said that if the Qataris don’t buy Manchester United, they’ll be back and they might end up buying Tottenham.

“He said, look, if you’ve got Manchester City owned by Abu Dhabi, you’ve got Newcastle owned by Saudi Arabia, if Qataris maybe buy Tottenham, then you’ve got three clubs who can pull away.

“Every year, it would be United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal fighting for fourth spot, which is quite a terrifying prospect for [them].”

The state of play

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has offered less money for a 51 per cent stake. It’s an offer that would see the Glazers set to retain a stake in the club.

Reports have been coming out about how each side remains confident that their offers will be accepted.

The saga has rumbled on for a large part of the year and there is no indication of when a conclusion can be reached.

The Glazers are asking for £6bn for a full takeover, but their final decision may not come until the end of the season.