"Will be under greater scrutiny" - Gary Neville gives his take on a potential Qatari takeover at Manchester United
Gary Neville has claimed that he is not against state-owned clubs and is ready to welcome the Qatar consortium as new Manchester United owners if their bid is accepted. The Red Devils legend added that he has not opposed Newcastle United or Manchester City but believed his former side would be under great scrutiny.
Speaking to MARCA, Neville said that he understands why Premier League clubs are in high demand. He believes that the league is miles ahead of others, especially in terms of revenue. He said:
"I am not opposed to 'state-clubs'. I have not opposed Newcastle or Manchester City. I think United will be under greater scrutiny because the size of the club is enormous."
"The reality is that Abu Dhabi has owned Manchester City for 15 years, so I think the important thing in English football is that the control of the owners, not only of the 'state-clubs', but also of the venture capital funds that are entering the Premier League to exploit English football."
Neville explained that while the Premier League is a great prospect, they also need to maintain their quality and competence, saying:
"The Premier League is an incredible product: it's loved around the world, it's brilliant to watch, the stadiums are high quality... it's miles ahead of the other leagues in terms of revenue."
He added:
"But it must maintain its competitive balance at the national level and we also need there to be a competitive balance at the international level in the other European leagues. I'm passionate about that. That's why I spoke as I did about the Super League."
Saudi Arabia's PIF bought Newcastle United last year and the Magpies have been on a brilliant run since. They qualified for the UEFA Champions League last season and are eighth in the league table right now.
The Glazers put Manchester United for sale last year
After years of protest from the fans, The Glazers put Manchester United for sale last year. However, the process has taken longer than expected and the recent reports suggest the Americans might not be selling the Red Devils.
A Qatari Consortium and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are still active in talks with The Glazers but are yet to get the green signal for Manchester United's takeover. Both parties are reportedly looking to launch a final bid next month to try and finish the process.
Gary Neville has said that The Glazers will sell the club eventually as they are in need of money. However, no interested party has come close to the £6 billion asking price set on Manchester United.