Manchester United have expressed surprise at claims that a deal to attract new investment into the club is nearing completion. Late on Wednesday night, Saudi Prime Minister Turki Al Sheikh suggested on social media that United were on the brink of securing new investment, a fact that surprised both fans and staff.
Al Sheikh claimed on his X account: “The best news I heard today is that Manchester United are currently in the advanced stages of completing a sale agreement to a new investor. I hope he is better than the previous owner.”
Al Sheikh’s post came just hours after United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s interview was published, in which he made no mention of plans to relinquish control of Old Trafford. The Mirror also reports that the Glazers will only consider offers worth more than £5bn for United shares, more than double what the British giants are valued on the stock market.
In 2023, Sheikh Jassim and Ratcliffe entered into negotiations with the Reign Group, which oversaw the sale of key parts of the club on behalf of the Glazer family, and both parties remained optimistic throughout the process.
But it was Ratcliffe who won, winning a minority stake. Sheikh Jassim had bid around £5.5 billion for full ownership of the club, but Qatar failed to provide evidence of the funds during negotiations.
Sheikh Jassim’s offer included a commitment to repay United’s debts in full and featured a separate fund designated exclusively for the club and local community, but his credibility remained in doubt throughout the process. There is no sign that Sheikh Jassim will return to United with a new offer.
And according to the Manchester Evening News, United are surprised by the latest hints that a takeover is on the horizon.
Al Sheikh is the driving force behind Riyadh Season, a six-month entertainment, cultural and sporting event held in the Saudi capital. The 44-year-old holds a prominent position in the boxing world, investing millions of dollars to arrange epic bouts between rival promotions and winning praise for the sport’s resurgence in recent years.
United could hold mid-season friendlies abroad to boost their income, and Alarcik is believed to be in talks about hosting games in Saudi Arabia.
“We have to do it. We knew that when we missed Europe, but there are a lot of things (to consider),” coach Ruben Amorim said of the possibility of a mid-season friendly to raise funds.
“We have fans, we have a budget. We have to make up for a lot of things. We have to do it, so we’re going to do it. We want to be with our fans all over the world, so we’re going to put everything together for that. If we have to do it, we have to manage and we have to find space (in the schedule) to do it.”
