Manchester United are being linked with a bid from Qatar – but according to one report, there is no bid planned from the Middle Eastern state.
Today is the deadline for bids to be made to buy the Red Devils, with a proposal confirmed to arrive from the likes of lifelong fan and INEOS entrepreneur, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, along with potential interest from Saudi Arabia and the United States. A Qatari bid is expected too, though this is so far unconfirmed.
It had been rumoured that the Qatar Investment Fund would be bidding for the club and that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, would be in the running. Now, the Independent's Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, has said that some close to hierarchy at Paris Saint-Germain – another Qatari-owned club – have no knowledge of a bid being made.
"The discussion at executive level of the French club’s Champions League game on Tuesday night was that they were surprised at so much of the coverage," Delaney states.
"One source from within Qatar Sports Investments, who are a subsidiary of QIA, said no bid for United would come from either fund.
"There was an acknowledgement that it's possible a private investor makes an offer, but the political structure of the state means no businessman is really 'private', and a venture of this scale would still require high-level sanctioning.
"Other analysts of the Middle East believe it preposterous that they would allow a state project like PSG to be encroached upon."
While there have been plenty of rumours of Qatar buying United, conflicting reports mean that this saga could drag on a little longer. The deadline for bids could be extended by two weeks – though a bid for United could come from a variety of sources within Qatar.
The news comes as The Athletic have revealed that two-thirds of fans want Sir Jim Ratcliffe to become the new owner.
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Formal bids are set to be submitted to buy United. The club had a quiet January window but brought in Marcel Sabitzer on deadline day after Christian Eriksen picked up a long-term injury.
Former United chairman Martin Edwards, meanwhile, has spoken to FFT about how the club's 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup victory helped changed the perception of English football across the continent.
