saudi Arabia Shows Man United Interest
Saudi Arabia’s sports minister has claimed its government would “definitely support” private sector Saudi bids for Premier clubs Manchester United and Liverpool.
Both Premier League clubs look set for a sale after the Glazer family recently revealed that they are considering selling Manchester United, and Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), made a similar statement last month, claiming that it will ‘consider new shareholders’.
Another Premier League club, Newcastle United, already has Saudi Arabian owners after a takeover backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund was completed in October 2021.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, said there was a lot of “interest and appetite” in United and Liverpool.
He commented, “From the private sector, I can’t speak on their behalf, but there is a lot of interest and appetite and there’s a lot of passion about football.
“It’s the most-watched league in Saudi and the region and you have a lot of fans of the Premier League.
“We will definitely support it if any [Saudi] private sector comes in, because we know that’s going to reflect positively on sports within the kingdom.
“But if there’s an investor willing to do so and the numbers add up, why not?”
The rumours come at a time when controversy surrounds money in football. The Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United was heavily criticised in 2021, and the sanctions put on Roman Abramovich and his ownership of Chelsea in 2022 raised more questions over funding in the game.
Most recently, the host nation of this year’s FIFA World Cup – Qatar – has faced significant criticism over its suitability to host the football’s biggest international tournament.
Other rumours that have appeared since the Manchester United owners revealed their intentions to sell include a Financial Times report that former United midfielder David Beckham is open to holding talks with potential bidders for the club, and a Daily Star story that US technology giant Apple is expressing interest in purchasing the Premier League team.
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