It is believed that Saudi Arabia’s PIF were offered a stake in Manchester United before buying Newcastle.
There was a lot of rumours about a Saudi-backed takeover at the time, but they managed to complete a deal to purchase Newcastle from Mike Ashley in October 2021, despite issues with the Premier League’s Owners and Directors Test.
While United fans are desperate to get rid of the Glazers, I never want to see my club fall victim to sportswashing, and that is what would have happened if Saudi Arabia’s PIF got their bloody hands on our club.
Reports in 2019 suggested Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman was interested in a takeover at Manchester United, as per The Mirror.
As the Newcastle takeover anniversary nears, PIF chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan has done an interview during which he admits they had the chance to buy a stake in another Premier League club.
“For example, in the UK there was a team that approached us on the basis that we take 30% of the ownership, and we don’t interfere at all in terms of managing the club, for £700million,” Al-Rumanyyan said, as quoted by The Athletic.
“Then we bought Newcastle, who offered us 100 per cent of the ownership.”
The Athletic add that the club in question is believed to be Manchester United.
He added: “Then we bought Newcastle, who offered us 100 per cent of the ownership. But Amanda Staveley and her husband who got us the opportunity told us, ‘We like it so much, we would like to be with you’. That was perfect.
“Then came the Reuben family who are one of the biggest property investors, saying that, ‘We would like to come with you’, and these are one of the biggest investors in Newcastle. I said, ‘Perfect! Tell them to come’. So now they (Amanda, her husband and Reubens) have a skin in the game.
“We bought the whole team for £350m, instead of only having 30 per cent in another team for £700m.”
Ultimately, United need owners that care for the football club, and will back the manager to compete with Europe’s elite for the biggest prizes. That doesn’t mean we need to become another sportswashing practice.
This also suggests that the Glazers could look to make money from a partial sale, but it sounds like they want to hold all the cards at the table, which I don’t think will appeal to a lot of billionaires.
Interesting times ahead.
Typical ignorance of your own club, who has sponsored man-ure since 2010 is it? Saudi telecoms which is ste owned and which club signed up with MBS himself to promote his Saudi sports vision 2030? Here’s to many more years with your Glazers and the predictable blame game after every defeat with subsequent violent, alcohol fuelled demonstations but….we all know the real reasons for all the attention seeking episodes as it’s down to pure jealousy of your richer and far better city rivals yes? The glory days ended when Sir Alex retired, live with it and accept you’re nowhere near the best in England and it will be wins before another championship goes to your club 😉💋