Before the soft deadline expired, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar made Manchester United a second acquisition offer.
As soon as the infamous Glazer family announced their intention to sell the club in November, interested parties had until Friday night at 10 p.m. to file and formally express their interest. Yet for any takeover, that was viewed as a starting point.
Al Thani’s plan to buy United in its entirety and pay off the team’s debts was confirmed in a statement. What else do we know about the person who is behind this most recent attempt?
The potential buyer, who was born in 1982, is reportedly a lifelong United devotee. Between 2007 until 2013, Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabar Al Thani was Qatar’s prime minister. He is well-known in the sporting world as the owner of the French team Paris Saint-Germain.
Al Thani received his education at the Royal Military College in Sandhurst, England, where he earned an officer cadet diploma. He presently holds the position of chairman of QIB (Qatar Islamic Bank), one of the top banks in the nation that was founded in 1982.
QIB has offices all around the world, one of which is in the UK. Prior to this, Al Thani served on the boards of Credit Suisse Group AG and Credit Suisse AG Zurich.
British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe formally announced his aim to buy United in January after having long been linked to a takeover, or at least investing in his boyhood club. Sir Jim is a well-known businessman who founded the renowned chemical company INEOS and was born and reared in the Manchester region.
He talked about last year’s conversations with the Glazer family. It is believed that there are further potential American buyers as well as connections to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
On Friday evening, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani revealed that he has submitted a bid for 100% of Manchester United Football Club in a statement to the printed and televised media. The offer seeks to put the supporters back in the centre of Manchester United Football Club in order to bring the team back to its former heights on and off the field.
“The bid will be completely debt free via Sheikh Jassim’s Nine Two Foundation, which will look to invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience, and communities the club supports.
“The vision of the bid is for Manchester United Football Club to be renowned for footballing excellence, and regarded as the greatest football club in the world. More details of the bid will be released, when appropriate, if and when the bid process develops.”
