On Man United takeover latest: Sheikh Jassim will be licking lips as pathway cleared for £70m transfer
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani may have been given a clear path to complete a marquee signing for Manchester United if he is confirmed as their new owner in due course. The Glazer family are yet to reveal their preferred buyer out of Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who has also been in the running to purchase the Red Devils over the last few months.
Sheikh Jassim has been leading a Qatari delegation bidding to take full control of United from their current owners, while Ratcliffe has been fronting a proposal to buy a 50 per cent stake in the club. The latter would also be willing to allow the Glazers to retain a minority share of United but they would have no ownership whatsoever under Sheikh Jassim’s proposal.
It was reported over the weekend that Sheikh Jassim has effectively won the race to buy United from the Glazers, with The Sun claiming that his representatives are completing due diligence before submitting a final formal offer. It seems as though he may get the chance to mark his arrival with a statement signing in the form of Neymar, who was recently put up for sale by Paris Saint-Germain despite having two years left on his current deal.
The Brazil international is eager to leave PSG before the summer window closes, with RMC Sport having linked Chelsea with a potential move at some point before the end of the summer window.. However, it seems as though Mauricio Pochettino is not keen on reuniting with Neymar, who he managed during his time in charge of the French giants throughout the 2021/22 campaign.
The Chelsea manager’s reluctance to pursue a move could open the door for United to do a deal for themselves, with Sheikh Jassim widely reported to be a huge admirer of Neymar. His Qatari connections might come in handy to help things progress smoothly, given that PSG have been owned by the state-backed Qatar Sports Investments group since 2011.
The French giants are said to be willing to listen to offers in the region of £70million for Neymar, although there is a chance that the player himself could veto a move to United if Barcelona decide to come calling. He is thought to have his heart set on a return to the Nou Camp if he leaves PSG this summer, which suggests that it would be difficult for any other club to change his mind in the near future.
However, a report by ESPN claims that Barcelona are wary over the possibility of bringing Neymar back as a result of their well-documented financial problems. He is currently said to be earning around £600,000 per week at PSG, which could wreck his hopes of a dream return to his former club, although it may not be so much of an issue for United if Sheikh Jassim ends up winning the race to buy the Red Devils.
It remains to be seen how the situation will play out between now and the end of the new campaign, with Neymar said to be unlikely to remain at PSG in any case. He would certainly fit the bill of a statement signing to commemorate Sheikh Jassim’s arrival at Old Trafford, but only time will tell if such a move ends up coming to fruition over the next few months.
