Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim to miss out on 'dream' signing

Stuart Telford

• 8 Aug 2023 11:03 BST
• 3 min read

Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani wanted to make Neymar his marquee signing on taking control of Manchester United, but the Qatari royal is set to miss out on the Brazil forward.

Sheikh Jassim has reportedly won the race to buy Man Utd from the Glazer family ahead of INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe after lodging a bid of £6 billion - a world record for a sports team.

The news comes with a catch, however, with the sale only expected to be completed in November, a full year after the Glazers first started inviting bids for the Red Devils, and two months after the summer transfer window closes.

READ: Man Utd takeover: Sheikh Jassim wins race, but there's a catch

"Manchester United will make a sensational move for PSG star Neymar if the Qatari bidders are successful in their takeover," report the Sun's Henry Tomlinson in April. "[Jassim] is eyeing the Brazilian as a marquee signing this summer."

Jassim's Neymar window slamming shut

United have been busy in the summer window, signing Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount from Atalanta, Inter Milan and Chelsea respectively, but clearly Jassim can't add Neymar if the window closes before he is in charge.

United could move for Neymar next winter, but it now looks like he could have moved on from PSG by then, despite his father's recent claims that he "cannot confirm a news that didn't happen," regarding a transfer away from PSG this summer.

READ: Neymar lodges PSG transfer request as Barcelona links INTENSIFY

Neymar has publicly spoken of his desire to return to first club Santos one day, while Barcelona and Chelsea have both been linked with moves in recent weeks, although each have distanced themselves from those rumours.

It seems clear that PSG are willing to offload a player who is still world class on the pitch but causes dressing room strife off it, and at 31, a move to the Saudi Pro League might now be his most likely next step.