The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is interested in buying Manchester United. He values the club below the Glazer family's 6 billion price and there is recognition that Uefa may have to agree to a regulation change as the country s ruler already owns Paris Saint-Germain.
In 2011 he purchased PSG through Qatar Sports Investment. The current Uefa rules do not allow clubs with the same owners to face each other in one of its competitions, so a Qatari-owned Uefa and Qatar-owned PSG would not be allowed to participate in a Champions League tie.
While the purchase of United is being explored, it is understood that those driving the interest in Qatar are aware of the Uefa rules and a solution is being sought. This could include trying to persuade Uefa to change its regulations.
In November, the Glazer family put United up for sale, a process that will begin in November to explore strategic alternatives that could potentially bring an end to its 17 year ownership of the club. The Raine Group, which oversaw the sale of Chelsea, has been appointed as the exclusive financial adviser, and it believes 6 billion is wanted for the 20 times champions of England. The emir believes that 4.5 billion is a more realistic price.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a billionaire regarded as one of Britain's richest people, confirmed that his company, Ineos, was in the running to buy United last month. Radcliffe, 70, was born in Failsworth in Greater Manchester and is a lifelong United supporter.
Amnesty International has described Qatari interest in United as a wake-up call to the Premier League in regards to strengthening its ownership rules.
It seems highly likely that any Qatari bid for Manchester United will be a continuation of the state-backed sportswashing project after the World Cup and strenuous efforts by the Qatari government to create a glitzy new image for the country, according to Peter Frankental, Amnesty UK's economic affairs director. There was only limited reforms on migrant workers rights in Qatar in the lead-up to the World Cup, and there was no movement whatsoever in the wake of the disgraceful criminalisation of LGBTQ people or institutional discrimination against women.
It has been nearly 18 months since the hugely controversial Saudi takeover of Newcastle United and a Qatari bid for Manchester United were a wake-up call to the Premier League over the need to reform its ownership rules. We are not necessarily opposed to the involvement of state-linked overseas financial consortia in English football, but the Premier League needs to strengthen ownership rules to make sure they are human rights-compliant and not an opportunity for more sportswashing.