“Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani confirms that he has submitted an offer for (the) 100% takeover of Manchester United Football Club,” explained a press release, which remains silent on the amount proposed for the Red Devils.

"Further details of the offer will be given (...) if and when the offer process continues," he added.

"The offer aims to restore the club to its past glory both on and off the pitch", specify the promoters who promise to rid the club of its EUR 580m debt and invest in "the football teams , the training centre, the stadium and the infrastructure in the broad sense".

QIB is one of the largest banks in Qatar.

Its majority shareholder is the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority, owner of Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), which controls Paris SG.

One of the challenges for them will be to prove that the two clubs are not controlled by the same entity, which would prevent them from competing simultaneously in European competitions, according to UEFA rules.

The son of a former Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, 42, is touted as a childhood supporter of Manchester United.

- More than three takeover candidates?

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He could soon have as a competitor another declared fan of the Red Devils, the British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, owner of the petrochemical group Ineos, who made his interest known a month ago.

The Premier League is attracting interest from foreign investors © Ayoub SIMOUR / AFP

Decided at the end of November by its owners, the American Glazer family, the sale of the club with 20 English championship titles was entrusted to the American investment bank Raine, already at work for the sale of Chelsea, the year last.

The suitors were invited to make themselves known before Friday but, Manchester United being listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the club and its representatives will however be legally obliged to study any possible offer arriving after.

Offers from the United States cannot be ruled out either for what is considered the most famous football club in the world, along with Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

But Friday, it was especially the Saudi track, mentioned by the English newspaper The Telegraph, which made talk.

"Several private groups in Riyadh" have thus "formally inquired" about the terms of a takeover, even if the Telegraph recognized that it was not certain that an offer would be made.

In this case, it would also be necessary to prove to the Premier League that the two clubs have indeed separate owners.

Sporting upturn for the Red Devils

But the sporting "success story" of Newcastle since its passage under the Saudi flag - the Magpies are 4th in the Premier League, a ranking they had not reached for almost 25 years -, is enough to ignite the imagination of Red Devils supporters.

Manchester United players after their draw against Barcelona 2-2 in the first leg of the Europa League on February 16, 2023 in Barcelona © Josep LAGO / AFP

Struggling sportingly for more than ten years – their 20th and last league title dates back to 2013 and the club has since won only relatively minor trophies given its status – the Mancunians are also living their best season since a long time.

Third in the championship, just five lengths behind Manchester City and Arsenal, and after having played a very high level match on Thursday in Barcelona (2-2) in the first leg of the 1/8th final of the Europa League, he no longer seems to be missing much to regain their past aura.

With a market valuation of more than four billion euros, everything suggests that a total sale of Manchester United would break the record for the biggest sale of a sports club.

Rivals Chelsea were sold in May for 4.8 billion euros to American investors, but the amount included two billion euros in investment promises, while the Denver Broncos (NFL) American football team changed hands for 4.4 billion euros in June.

© 2023 AFP