Saudi Arabia’s sports minister says its government would support private sector Saudi bids for Manchester United and Liverpool.
The owners of both Premier League clubs are set to go head-to-head in search of the biggest bidder after announcing they are exploring potential sales.
On Tuesday night, the Glazers announced in a statement that they were putting Manchester United up for sale, with the longest written message they’ve ever addressed to fans.
Of course, the Premier League already has Saudi Arabian owners after a takeover backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund was controversially completed in October 2021.
There is apparently “interest and appetite” in United and Liverpool among Saudi investors and Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal said they would support any private sector offers, purely to continue their attempt at sport-swashing.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Prince Abdulaziz said: “From the private sector, I can’t speak on their behalf, but there is a lot of interest and appetite and there’s a lot of passion about football.
“It’s the most-watched league in Saudi and the region and you have a lot of fans of the Premier League.
“We will definitely support it if any [Saudi] private sector comes in, because we know that’s going to reflect positively on sports within the kingdom.
“But if there’s an investor willing to do so and the numbers add up, why not?”
Saudi Arabia's sports minister here saying there will 'definitely' be an appetite for somebody in their private sector for buying Manchester United.pic.twitter.com/UyBTWBRJJ0
— United Peoples TV (@UnitedPeoplesTV) November 24, 2022
One thing I don’t want is my football club to become a sportswashing project. That’s why it is important that the UK Government steps in wherever it can to ensure the club falls in the right hands.
After what happened in 2005 with the Glazers, I wouldn’t hold my breathe.
