Revealed: Qatari source issues Man United takeover claim after controversial Newcastle twist
The Qatari group looking to buy Man United has not been deterred by the backlash that has accompanied fresh claims about the involvement of the Saudi state in Newcastle United, sources have told Football Insider.
Documents seen as part of a US court case between the PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf show that PIF has labelled itself a “sovereign instrumentality” of the Saudi state and Newcastle chairman Yasir al-Rumayyan as a “sitting minister of the Saudi government”.
Those claims contradict assurances given to the Premier League by PIF ahead of the Newcastle takeover in October 2021 that there would be no state involvement in the club.
As has been reported elsewhere, several top-flight clubs have now written to the league seeking clarity on the source of the Magpies’ ownership.
But a source with intimate knowledge of the situation has told this site that the Qatari group in the running to acquire Man United are confident the saga will not have a material impact on their own takeover campaign.
The consortium is fronted by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, a close ally of the Qatar royal family and former head of the Qatar Investment Authority, the state’s sovereign wealth fund.
Geopolitics expert Professor Simon Chadwick has previously told Football Insider that Qatar’s aim at Old Trafford is to “create industrial networks to drive economic benefit, achieve geopolitical returns and project soft power.”
Groups such as human rights watchdog Amnesty International meanwhile have drawn direct comparisons between the motivations of Qatar and Saudi Arabia in English football.
The Qatari group are battling Britain’s richest person Sir Jim Ratcliffe to complete a majority buyout of the Red Devils, which takeover brokers Raine Group had hoped would be complete in the first quarter of 2023.
But it is now understood that the process could be delayed because of indecision within the Glazer family, although there is still confidence that a deal will be completed by the end of the season.
The bids the Glazers have received so far are believed to be around £1.5bn short of their £6bn valuation of the club.
Reports elsewhere, which Football Insider has at this stage been unable to verify, claim that a third unidentified US-based bidder has also entered the race.
Central to the negotiations with the Glazers is the prospect of redeveloping Old Trafford and the Carrington training complex, which experts say is long overdue and could cost more than £2billionn.
In other news, Man United line up three marquee signings after Ten Hag talks with board.