February 19 – Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is not planning a £3.8bn takeover of Manchester United according to his media minister.
In a tweet on Monday, Turki al-Shabanah said the information in the English press was “completely false”.
“Manchester United held a meeting with PIF [Public Investment Fund] Saudi to discuss a sponsorship opportunity. No deal has materialised,” he said.
The Glazer family, United’s American owners, bought the club for £790m in May 2005. United are now valued at more than £3billion and Prince bin Salman has reportedly long been keen to invest in a top European football club just like his country’s neighbours.
Manchester City are backed by Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Mansour and Paris Saint-Germain owned by Qatar Sports Investments.
Saudi Arabia has been condemned for its human rights record and in October, United pulled out of an investment forum following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia is the distribution home of the beoutQ satellite channel which has been pirating broadcast rights from the Premier League as well as multiple other football properties.
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