Manchester: The potential new owners of Manchester United have until Friday to reveal their interest in buying one of the largest clubs in the world, amid British press reports about a Qatari offer to buy the “Red Devils”, which could spark a wave of shocks in the corridors of European football, if successful.
The American Glazer family, the current owners of United, opened the door to a new investment in the English giant last November, either in the form of a minority stake or full acquisition.
Although deeply unpopular with fans who saddled the club with huge debts after a £790m ($961m) takeover in 2005, the Glazers are ready to walk away with a huge profit.
According to media reports, they are seeking six billion pounds sterling to disengage from the three-time European champions, which would break the record price for a football club set by Chelsea last year.
A consortium led by Todd Boyle paid two billion and 500 thousand pounds sterling to buy the Blues, with a promise of an additional 1.75 billion pounds in future investments in infrastructure and players.
So far, only the British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, owner of the petrochemical giant "Ineos", which also owns the French club Nice, has officially and publicly presented itself as a potential buyer for United.
However, reports of an offer supported by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, still exist.
The power and influence of Paris Saint-Germain
Qatar already has great influence in European football. Paris Saint-Germain has dominated French football since it was acquired by Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the state’s sovereign wealth fund, in 2011, and has attracted some of the game’s biggest stars such as Argentine Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Brazilian Neymar to the Parc des Princes.
In addition, the Qatari Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain, is also the president of the influential European Clubs Association.
And just months after hosting the 2022 World Cup, a successful Qatari bid would give the gas-rich Gulf state a place of honor in the world's most-watched English Premier League.
“Qatar's investment in Paris Saint-Germain has been a tremendous success, but no other tournament in the world has as much global prominence as the English Premier League,” says Daniel Reiche, assistant professor of international relations at Georgetown University in Qatar.
"Therefore, the acquisition of Manchester United would make perfect sense," he adds.
United's ownership may also provide Qatar with an opportunity for bragging rights between its Gulf neighbors, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which own shares in the Premier League.
Abu Dhabi's investment in Manchester City has transformed the team into a dominant force in the league, winning six titles in the last 11 seasons, while Newcastle soar high in fourth place, and reached the League Cup final for the first time in 47 years, just 16 months after entering the bosom of a fund. Saudi sovereign wealth.
But neither City nor Newcastle carry the pride of a victorious United with 20 Premier League titles and a huge global fan base.
Raishi points out that “Gulf investments in European football clubs cannot be viewed from a purely economic perspective. It serves the purpose of branding the country and as a tool for international relations.”
And he adds, "The rivalry between two countries in only one city, with the UAE owning Manchester City and Qatar to Manchester United, will be a new escalation in the rivalry between these two countries, with relations deteriorating recently."
Regulatory hurdles
The Qatari bid will have a series of regulatory hurdles to clear.
Amnesty International has called on the Premier League to tighten ownership rules to ensure it "complies with human rights and is not an opportunity for further sporting laundry".
But the precedent set in giving the green light to the investment of the Emirates and Saudi Arabia makes it unlikely that the English Premier League will prevent an acquisition.
Even more irritating could be the rules of the European Football Association (UEFA), which prevent two teams from being controlled "directly or indirectly" by the same entity from competing in the Champions League.
A source familiar with the acquisition file confirms that its sponsors are not related to the owners of Saint-Germain.
“The most important thing is that the potential bidder is not Qatar Sports Investment Company or Qatar Investment Authority, it is a completely different fund,” the source says.
Attempting to distinguish between funds based in Qatar will be met with skepticism from rival clubs.
Despite this, the German clubs Leipzig and Austrian Salzburg found a way to circumvent the “Wifa” rules and were able to participate in the competition itself, regardless of the ownership of the “Red Bull” company for them.
United has been in a state of stagnation since the club’s former historic coach, Scottish Sir Alex Ferguson, left the “Old Trafford” stadium, with his last league title a decade ago.
The “Red Devils” have not won a title in six years, and they failed to qualify for the Champions League this season.
Friday's filing deadline could herald the start of a successful new era for the club, buoyed by Qatar's oil and gas wealth.
Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the fans of the ancient English club will react, if the Qatari offer gets the green light.
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