The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is reportedly exploring the possibility of acquiring a stake in Manchester United Football Club, as part of its plan to enter the elite football market. This comes after the QIA decided not to invest in Liverpool due to two major reasons.
The latest major news in elite football surrounding owners is that Liverpool and Manchester United, two of the biggest clubs in the world, are both owned by American billionaires. This could be seen as a potential opportunity for the QIA to enter the market and gain a foothold in the market.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Investment Authority Mansoor Ebrahim Al-Mahmoud called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here on Monday to discuss the potential acquisition of Manchester United. Reports suggest that the Qatar Investment Authority is looking to acquire a stake of up to 20 per cent in the Premier League club.
A University of Salford expert told the Manchester Evening News Qatar was considering a bid for Manchester United. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) bought a 20 per cent stake in the club in 2005, but the deal was never finalised.
Before the official offer, Bloomberg News reported that Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the former Prime Minister of Qatar, had met with the Glazer family. This was likely in reference to his interest in investing in Manchester United, an action he pursued during his time heading the Qatar Investment Authority.
The QIA has not made any official statement yet, though executives at Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Co. and Qatar Investment Authority have expressed their interest in NBA ownership and are reportedly exploring their options in football.
It has been reported that the QIA would potentially be looking to purchase a minority stake in the club, without any direct or indirect support from the Qatari state or the country's sovereign wealth fund.
The potential purchase of Manchester United by the QIA is an interesting development that has the potential to shake up the Premier League and the football world more broadly. It remains to be seen how this potential acquisition will play out and the impact it will have on the industry.
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