Final Man Utd takeover Date Announced: Sheikh Jassim will be licking lips as pathway cleared for £70m transfer
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is widely regarded as the favorite to buy Manchester United from the Glazer family.
If Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is confirmed as Manchester United’s new owner, he may have a clear road to make a marquee signing. The Glazers have yet to reveal their preferred buyer among Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who have both been linked with the Red Devils in recent months.
Sheikh Jassim has led a Qatari delegation in an attempt to seize complete control of United from its existing owners, while Ratcliffe has led a proposal to buy a 50% interest in the club. The latter would also be happy to allow the Glazers to keep a minority stake in United, but under Sheikh Jassim’s proposal, they would have no ownership at all.
Over the weekend, The Sun reported that Sheikh Jassim has virtually won the race to acquire United from the Glazers, with his representatives performing due diligence before presenting a final formal offer. It appears that he will have the opportunity to make a statement signing in the form of Neymar, who was recently put up for sale by Paris Saint-Germain despite having two years left on his current contract.
The Brazil international is eager to leave PSG before the summer window shuts, with RMC Sport linking Chelsea with a possible deal before the summer window expires. However, it appears that Mauricio Pochettino is not interested in reconciling with Neymar, whom he coached during his tenure as manager of the French giants during the 2021/22 season.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho’s unwillingness to pursue a move may open the door for United to execute a deal for themselves, with Sheikh Jassim generally understood to be a major fan of Neymar. Given that PSG has been controlled by the state-backed Qatar Sports Investments organization since 2011, his Qatari connections could be useful in smoothing things over.
The French giants are thought to be open to offers in the area of £70 million for Neymar, though the player himself may block a move to United if Barcelona decides to come calling. He is considered to have his heart set on a return to the Nou Camp if he departs PSG this summer, implying that no other team will be able to change his mind in the near future.
However, according to ESPN, Barcelona is apprehensive of bringing Neymar back due to the club’s well-documented financial difficulties. He is now estimated to earn roughly £600,000 per week at PSG, which might derail his dream return to his previous club, though this may not be an issue for United if Sheikh Jassim wins the race to purchase the Red Devils.
It remains to be seen how the situation develops between now and the end of the new season, with Neymar expected to leave PSG in any event. He would undoubtedly fit the bill for a statement signing to honor Sheikh Jassim’s arrival at Old Trafford, but only time will tell if such a transfer takes place in the coming months.
