February 8 – Qatari investors are planning to make a massive bid to buy Manchester United in the coming days that will blow rival suitors out of the water, according to newspaper reports citing unnamed sources.
The Daily Mail report described the investors as “a group of private, high-wealth individuals” from Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup.
Bloomberg reported last month that Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), which owns Paris St Germain, was considering either a total takeover or a stake in either Manchester United or their rivals Liverpool.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire owner of petrochemicals firm Ineos and one of Britain’s richest men, entered the bidding process to buy United last month after the club’s US owners, the Glazer family said in November they had begun looking at options including new investment or a potential sale.
United’s owners are seeking more than £6 billion for the club but one potential stumbling block for QSI – if indeed the group is involved – could be their ownership of Paris Saint-Germain.
No one entity can own two clubs in the same competition – and United and PSG could well end up together in next season’s Champions League.
United are third in the league on 42 points after 21 games, three points behind Manchester City but eight adrift of leaders Arsenal, who have played a game less.
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