- Glazers consider selling Man Utd stakes
- Sheikh Jassim’s Qatar Group were previously interested
- Will they return to the table?
Rumours regarding a full-scale takeover at Old Trafford have resurfaced. But fans hoping for a mega-money Middle Eastern buyout may need to temper their expectations.
An update on the situation suggests that a Qatari return to the negotiating table is highly unlikely. That’s even if the Glazer family decides to cash in entirely.
Bloomberg reports that several members of the Glazer family are keen to end their 21-year association with Manchester United. They are actively trying to convince the remaining siblings to sell up.
However, senior club sources have emphatically dismissed these claims, and the notoriously private Americans have chosen not to comment.
Importantly, even if the Glazers are preparing to cut ties, it won’t automatically pave the way for a Qatari takeover.
Qatar sale ruled out
According to Daily Mail Sport, the Qatar-based group led by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani has not been approached, either formally or informally, by the Glazers or their representatives. Furthermore, insiders indicate that even if contact were made, the group has “no intention” of reviving their bid as things stand.
The Qatari camp is understood to remain deeply scarred by its gruelling experience over three years ago. Sheikh Jassim submitted a final offer of around £5 billion for 100% control of United, only for the Glazers to pull the plug and instead sell an initial 25% minority stake to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS for £1.3 billion.
While a “drag along” clause exists within Ratcliffe’s initial agreement, giving the Glazers the contractual power to force a full sale if a massive majority offer arrives, there is currently zero appetite from Qatar to re-enter the chaotic bidding war.
INEOS remain in control
Since taking sporting control, Ratcliffe has aggressively restructured the club, cutting costs and aiming to restore financial stability. While the club’s financial forecasting looks steady despite missing out on European football, the definitive answer on a Qatari buyout remains a resounding no. For now, Sheikh Jassim’s interest is firmly in the past, and United’s immediate future remains under INEOS’s guidance.
