Qatar investors look set to capitalise on the groundwork laid out by the latest edition of the World Cup by laying down fresh roots in the Premier League with a bid for Manchester United.
Mike Keegan shared the news on Twitter, with Empire’s Peter Kenny Jones (citing Alex Miller) already noting that the investors in question are a separate entity to Liverpool-linked QIA.
EXCLUSIVE: Qatar-based investment group to bid for Manchester United. Would arm Erik ten Hag with huge transfer kitty aimed at taking club to the top of world football. Excited by the project & confident their bid will be the strongest. Full story: https://t.co/6anXwNBFEm #mufc
— Mike Keegan (@MikeKeegan_DM) February 7, 2023
With the $450bn-rich (according to Bloomberg, via Football Insider) group still ‘in talks’ with FSG, it’s possible (though unlikely for reasons we will explore below) that the Reds could still benefit from significant investment in the future.
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Our stance on the matter remains unchanged – no state, nor a group closely affiliated with a regime connected with human rights abuses should be anywhere near the football club.
That’s not to say that a private entity completely separate from the state wouldn’t be tolerated, though one might fairly imagine such a scenario would be hard to come by.
From Fenway’s point of view too, it’s difficult to see talks eventually arriving at a positive conclusion for QIA given their reported commitment to leaving a sound legacy behind at Anfield.
With the club’s league position further deteriorating, however, and a general lack of reassurances of provided over funding ahead of the summer window since Tom Werner’s ‘business as usual’ proclamation, increasing pressure on the Americans could yet force a compromise.
The ongoing nature of talks would certainly hint at that, at the very least, despite the group remaining a far from palatable option for Liverpool fans who hold the club’s values close to their hearts.
40% of Liverpool’s summer loans failed – what’s happened to the club’s loan system?
Morals and football don’t go hand in hand. LFC will fall into mid table mediocrity and be able to attract mediocre players. Klopp will leave due to lack of funding and fans will wonder why. I’m sorry but all you bleeding heart do gooders must understand that every billionaire owners have a dirty background and deal with people with dirty reputations. You are scaring off investors.
Well said George, good job these don’t speak for the majority – bleedin heart Libs will the 1st ones bitching when left out in the cold and the CL is but a distant memory – but our morals will keep us warm.
I totally agree with you
“That’s not to say that a private entity completely separate from the state”, there is no such thing. Everything is either approved or connected with the ruling family. All dealings are tainted by their corruption and humanrights abusing activities.
Compete or die it’s simple . Money rules has for years … morals only assist in your own minds .. not in the people who run the game .., being a angel in a devils world is not working
As if any football fan cares where the money comes from. I guarantee if these shady middle east multibillionaires buy Man Utd or Liverpool and give them a blank cheque to buy whoever you won’t hear a peep out of their fans. 3 points is all any fan cares about. Don’t delude yourselves into thinking any different. There are no morals in football.
The majority of fans don’t care who buys the club so stop virtue signalling.
Well said George, good job these don’t speak for the majority – bleedin heart Libs will the 1st ones bitching when left out in the cold and the CL is but a distant memory – but our morals will keep us warm.
There are no two ways about it.
Sooner rather than later Man Utd will join City and Newcastle in the mega rich club, then Spurs, Arsenal, Villa, Everton for f sake.
Taking the moral high ground means accepting competing with the likes of Brentford and Brighton for Europa Conference places.