Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim negotiating exclusivity with Manchester United, a look at prominent football clubs owned by Gulf businessmen

Football fans have witnessed several high-profile takeovers of prominent European clubs by Gulf nations. In the last few years, the likes of Newcastle United, Manchester City, Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) and Aston Villa have come under Middle East ownership. Now latest reports suggest that English football club Manchester United could be bought by Qatar's Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani. According to a report by Reuters, a consortium led by Sheikh Jassim is “negotiating exclusivity” in order to stay ahead of rivals in the battle to buy the iconic sports brand.

Although a deal is far from certain, the development represents a major milestone as the Red Devils will not be able to negotiate with any bidder other than Sheikh Jassim for the exclusivity period.

Sheikh Jassim is the son of Qatar's former prime minister who happens to have very deep pockets.

The Reuters report also indicates that the Qatari offer is being viewed by the Glazer family, the current owners of Manchester United, more favourably than Jim Ratcliffe’s bid. Ratcliffe, the founder of chemicals company INEOS and UK’s richest man, is also in the race to buy his beloved club. The British billionaire has submitted an offer, which would see the Glazers keeping some interest in the Old Trafford-based club.

The latest development has increased the hype around the Qatari offer, which reports indicate is for more than $6 billion.

The Glazers own minority stakes in Manchester United. The family has controlled the club for the last 18 years, courtesy of a dual-class share structure. The family now wants to cash out due to deep-rooted opposition from the passionate United fan base.

As Manchester United could soon come under Qatari ownership, let us take a look at other Arab takeovers of European football clubs.

Paris-Saint Germain 

Qatar’s Nasser Al-Khelaifi owns Paris Saint Germain. According to Forbes, this famous French team is the world’s seventh-most valuable football club. Until recently, PSG boasted star players like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. The acquisition of PSG has proven to be a tremendous foreign investment avenue for Qatar’s Sports Investment.

Newcastle United

The Magpies have become one of the wealthiest football clubs in the world after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund purchased Newcastle United for a staggering $415 million in October 2021.

Manchester City

Sheikh Mansour, one of the Middle East's most powerful businessmen and the Vice-President of UAE, owns Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s City is probably the best football club in the world right now. The club’s rise has been very beneficial for its sponsors. City’s jersey partnership with Etihad Airways demonstrates how these investments reap benefits for brands that want to grow globally.

Aston Villa

Premier League club Aston Villa is owned by Egypt’s Nassef Sawiris. The billionaire businessman came at the helm by replacing Tony Xia as chairman. In 2018, Sawiris purchased a 55 percent controlling stake worth $36 million in the club. Riding on the back of Sawiris’s capital, Aston Villa has roped in the likes of Emiliano Martinez and Diego Carlos in their squad.