Sheikh Jassim turns attention to Serie A club as Manchester United sale gets dragged on by The Glazers - Reports
Qatari billionaire Sheikh Jassim has begun exploring other options in place of Manchester United after he failed to reach an agreement over the club's purchase. The billionaire is in talks to buy cash-strapped Italian giants Inter Milan as he looks forward to buying a top European club.
The son of the former Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Jassim, declared his intention to purchase Manchester United from The Glazers last November. His bid was rivaled by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who also owns the French club OGC Nice.
The Glazers have not agreed on the sale of Manchester United to Sheikh Jassim despite multiple bids put in, as reported by Sky Sports. Sky Sports also reported that The Glazers want at least £6 billion to consider selling the club, but they ideally do not want to sell it.
Sheikh Jassim has decided to turn his attention elsewhere to try and purchase a top European side. The billionaire is prepared to step in and save Italian outfit Inter Milan from impending financial ruin, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
Inter Milan Chairman Steven Zhang has been in charge of the club since 2018, but his ownership is now in jeopardy. The Chinese businessman has a loan repayment deadline of May 2024 and is prepared to put the club up for sale to fund the repayment.
Sheikh Jassim is prepared to buy the club but remains unwilling to pay Zhang's £1 billion asking price. Tuttomercatoweb reports that a deal may progress between the Qatari magnate and Zhang in the coming months and is one to keep an eye on.
Is Glazers stalling Manchester United sale contributing to the club's problem?
Throughout the summer, there was talk of the potential takeover of Manchester United from the Qatari group, and the uncertainty persists. Club legend David Beckham was asked about his role in the bid, and he provided a bit of clarity.
Speaking to CNBC, Beckham revealed that he was not a part of the bid by Sheikh Jassim's group but that he expects a deal to be reached. The Red Devils' summer business was dominated by talk of a potential takeover, which never came to fruition.
Manchester United splashed the cash in the summer, signing Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund, Mason Mount, Altay Bayindir, Sergio Reguilon, and Sofyan Amrabat. Their ownership issue did not completely hamper them from being active in the market, as many thought it would.
The Red Devils reached a deal with Qualcomm Snapdragon to be their shirt sponsor. Their performance on the pitch has been that of a club in turmoil, but the club seems to be doing fine off the pitch.