Qatari Manchester United takeover stance as Sheikh Jassim reality still clear
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani missed out to Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the Manchester United takeover race which dominated 2023
Former Manchester United takeover hopeful Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani has reportedly not given up hope of becoming the sole proprietor of the club.
Throughout the entirety of 2023, Sheikh Jassim was embroiled in a fierce race with Sir Jim Ratcliffe to purchase United when the Glazers put it up for sale. The American family initially suggested that all outcomes, including a full sale, were on the table which invited the interest of the two businessmen.
As it transpired, the Glazers were leaning towards selling a minority stake in the club, particularly the football side. While Ratcliffe chose to alter his demands, Sheikh Jassim stuck to his stance of a full buyout and wiping out the entire debt that had been collected by the club under the Glazers' watch.
On Christmas Eve 2023, United announced that Ratcliffe had won the race to invest and by February 2024, his minority stake had been ratified by the Premier League. Since then, the Ineos founder has come under criticism for his perceived brutal spending cuts, including redundancies, poor staff appointments, chiefly Dan Ashworth and his decision to uproot season ticket holders.
Ratcliffe has admitted that if he was to receive the same level of protests against him as the Glazers have received, he would look to walk away from the club. In a new report from The Telegraph, it is claimed that Sheikh Jassim remains hopeful of one day taking over.
They insist that they expect United to be up for full sale in the future and nothing that the Glazers' and Ratcliffe's alliance have done so far have diminished that expectation. If they were to relaunch a bid to takeover United, the Qatari banker would need to re-establish The Nine Two UK Holdings ltd.
This corporation was formed by Sheikh Jassim to takeover United and paid tribute to the Class of '92. However, it was dissolved in September last year after the takeover process had officially finished.
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