Sheikh Jassim is seeking to buy the club without any debt and has reportedly offered investment in the local community and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen has expressed optimism about the possibility of his old club being bought out by Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Speaking on the Debrief Podcast for CaughtOffside, Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, said he is more hopeful about what Sheikh Jassim could bring to Manchester United, stating that he knows how passionate the people of Qatar are about football.
The 59-year-old Dutchman has had prior experience working in Qatar with the Under-18s at an international level, and with Xavi’s former club Al Sadd.
“I know the people in Qatar very well, I have warm memories of my time there – of course it was nothing like it is now,” he said.
“Still, these people care very much about football in their country and they’ll be the same with United. Let’s hope they also bring in people with a culture and identity to build the club in the next few years.”
The Glazer family has been unpopular with United fans during their time in Manchester, and the possible end of their ownership would likely be met with relief by many supporters.
Latest on the sale of Manchester United
The Glazer family announced last November that they were exploring “strategic alternatives” for the club, including an outright sale.
Both Sheikh Jassim and Jim Ratcliffe, CEO of UK-based petrochemicals company INEOS, have been competing to acquire Manchester United.
Sheikh Jassim is seeking to buy the club without any debt and has reportedly offered investment in the local community and Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
The owners of Manchester United are reportedly set to announce a £7.2-7.3 billion ($9.15 billion) sale of the club to Sheikh Jassim, following a nine-month protracted sale process, according to the BBC.
Mehmet Dalman, the chairman of Cardiff City, spoke about the escalating costs of football teams, particularly in the English Premier League.
“Americans are determined to come into this market quite heavily… Manchester United are going to announce their sale at 7.2 billion-7.3 billion pounds, which is roughly 10 times their revenue,” he told the BBC on Sunday.
Despite the official deadline for third-round bids having passed in April, and an offer of £6 billion ($7.6 billion) made by Sheikh Jassim, the sale process has seen many twists.
Reports emerged last month suggesting the Glazers may not wish to sell United amid disagreements among the family, who acquired the club for £790 million in 2005.
Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) on Sunday accused the Glazer family of holding the club “hostage” over the prolonged takeover saga.
Dalman also commented on the rising valuations of football clubs, including his own Cardiff City.
“Two or three years ago, we might have been talking about selling Cardiff for about 20 million or 30 million pounds, but now you’re going to have to look at 90 million or 100 million pounds,” he said.
“Valuations [of Championship clubs] have all stretched. In terms of the money burned, you have a better chance of getting it back in this environment than you ever have before.”
The proposed sale of Manchester United marks a significant development in the English football landscape, highlighting the changing dynamics and valuations in the sport.
With the process still unfolding, fans and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the official announcement, hoping for a new chapter in the storied history of the club.
