EXCLUSIVE: Qatar's interest in Man Utd genuine and credible - Ben Jacobs

Ben Jacobs

• Updated: 9 Feb 2023 19:37 GMT
• 4 min read

Manchester United’s takeover this year is heating up and there is genuine and credible interest from Qatar over a takeover according to Ben Jacobs, speaking exclusively to FootballTransfers.com.

The Glazer family have already begun speaking to Qatari investors, following their statement in November confirming that they are open to investment or a full sale.

The American owners have been in charge for close to 20 years. The late Malcolm Glazer first invested in 2003 before taking a controlling stake a couple of years later.

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The Qatari investors, along with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, considered Britain's richest man, have now registered an interest in taking it off their hands and leading Man Utd into a new era.

What did Ben Jacobs say?

“With Man Utd, the big talking point is the Qatari interest, which is genuine and credible. They have entered into a formal process of either sale, as first reported by Mike Keegan. The key deadline is February 17, that’s when initial offers and proof of funds must be made.

“And if the process follows the same tact as the Chelsea one, which the Raine Group also handled, then we might potentially see three or four suitors shortlisted for the Glazers to discuss terms with and pick between, and then a second round of offers and then a preferred bidder.

"And this is all with a view to concluding the process in April or May ideally What we know is that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is on record as saying he's in the race. There is interest from Saudi Arabia, Asia and from North America. Any bid will effectively have government backing and arguably involvement, regardless of who fronts it.

“But right now there’s no bid from Qatar. They're expected to within the next week or so, but nothing has been placed yet. And if it is a majority stake or outright sale, then any bid for Man Utd, as I understand it, will come from private funding.

"This logically provides separation to allow the group to not have any what they believe to be conflict, either between themselves and government, which may be construed to fail the Premier League owners and directors tests or themselves in anything connected to Pari Saint-German.

“But at the same time, you've got more public-facing entities that have looked only at minority stakes. The Qatar Investment Authority have said that they will assess the market and footballers of interest to them. And many sources say that a 10% or 15% stake in Man Utd is something that they have put forward.

“But they, as I exclusively revealed a few weeks back, held talks with Tottenham that again, we're only talking exploratory, but show that there's this mandate out there for those affiliated to sport in Qatar to go and get something in the Premier League.

"But now there has to be alignment because you're not going to get a situation where QIA go and buys a portion of Spurs where they decide to have a minority stake in another club and where a private group go and buy Man Utd. They'll have to be unity behind the approach. And that's what tells you that deep down that whoever is the face of the Qatari bid for Man Utd will be influenced by somebody strategic and high-level individuals.

“Some say private funds, and that is normal because a lot of these conversations have still been ongoing over the last few days. So there's a changing landscape. But my understanding, as of today, is that a full sale is likely in terms of the offer placed and that it would come from a private fund.”