There has been a lot of interest in Manchester United since the Glazer family announced in November that they would be open to a sale.
It is understood Qatari investors are preparing to launch a bit to takeover the club, with Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi set to be consulted beforehand, which is bound to raise questions about the group’s connections to Qatar Sports Investment.
Amnesty International has already warned the Premier League to ‘wake up’ following the news that Manchester United could be the next club to fall victim to sportswashing.
According to a new report from the Daily Mail, the Qataris in question can expect to face competition from four rivals in their quest to buy the biggest football club in the world, Manchester United. Ratcliffe has acquired the services of two Wall Street firms — Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan — to help with his bid.
This is what the Glazers would have wanted because more interest guarantees an inflated price. They want somewhere between £6-8 billion, although the Mail believe Qatar’s valuation is less than that.
The Raine Group, who are advising the Glazer family on the sale of Manchester United, are open to offers now ahead of a soft deadline on February 17.
It is suggested there is interest from the United States, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe was the first investor to go public with his plans to make an offer to the Glazers. There is also speculation that multiple parties from Saudi Arabia are in the running but it remains to be seen if they will make a formal offer.
United fans will be wary of the fact the club could become a victim of sportswashing, which is something that would see the outlook of the club change for many who have followed the club throughout their lives.
Let us know in the comments section if you have any preference when it comes to the bidders mentioned by recent reports.
Really don’t want to be tainted by sportswashing. Would probably be worse than Glazers
Qatar and Saudi Arabia do have dodgy human rights records agreed but Let us not forget the likes of JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs do not have clean hands either.
Radcliffe is surely the best option now.