Man Utd takeover: Qatar and Sheikh Jassim complete ultimate sportswash

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 15 Oct 2023 07:40 CDT
• 4 min read

Qatar has completed the ultimate sportswash, at least in terms of value for money, with the news that Sheikh Jassim has pulled out of the race to complete a takeover of Manchester United.

Old Trafford was shaken with the news that broke on Saturday that the Qatari businessman will not complete a buyout of the club, leaving Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos free to complete a 25% purchase that could ultimately lead to a full buyout of the club.

The Glazers remain in place, still the dominant factor in the decision-making process at Man Utd, where their presence has brought only paralysis to the club that was the biggest in the world when they first invested in 2005.

READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to buy 25% of Man Utd

Ever since, United have fallen from a side that targeted the Champions League to one that is struggling to retain top-four expectations in England’s top flight. The financial muscle remains, at least in theory, yet the on-field decline has been stark.

Manchester United are no longer a team that is three, five or even 10 years away from winning the Premier League or the Champions League; they have hit a glass ceiling until the Glazers finally leave.

Ratcliffe is unlikely to change anything in the short term. His stewardship at Lausanne and Nice has failed to radically transform either club.

READ MORE: Qatari Sheikh Jassim WITHDRAWS from Man Utd takeover process

Critics might point to a steady improvement at the Allianz Rivera club, who sit second in Ligue 1 undefeated through eight games, but a best finish of fifth in four completed Ineos seasons is a modest record given the comparative investment they have enjoyed compared to many of their better-managed rivals.

The dream of winning major silverware that Man Utd fans once had has gone, replaced instead by the fantasy of what might have been under Sheikh Jassim and his backers from Qatar.

Supporters had been salivating at the prospect of major investment primarily in the first team. Rumours of outrageous investment in the squad had been abound in the media, promising an influx of players that might have transformed the club’s fortunes and solved their short-term issues in a variety of positions.

Victor Osimhen, Rafael Leao, Frenkie de Jong and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are just four of the targets that Man Utd might realistically have signed had Sheikh Jassim completed his takeover. Could Kylian Mbappe even have been attracted on a free transfer next summer? We’ll never know now.

But in the minds of Manchester United fans, this is the fantasy side that might have been compiled if the Glazers had accepted the Sheikh’s offer.

Until the Old Trafford side return to their former world-leading status, the spectre of what might have been from a Qatari takeover will cast a long shadow over Man Utd for a sizeable portion of their support.

As Ratcliffe and Ineos get a grip of Man Utd in a greenwashing attempt, the irony is that for years to come, the grass will always have been greener if Sheikh Jassim had completed his takeover attempt.

Qatar will, therefore, gain many of the benefits of owning the club in terms of the positive publicity but without any of the expenditure, risk of failure or scrutiny. In many ways, it is the ultimate sportswash.