17 October 2023 , 13:04
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Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has been left "very disappointed and angered" after his bid to buy Manchester United from the Glazers failed, with the Qatari businessman now tipped to turn his attention to Liverpool.
It was revealed on Saturday that Sheikh Jassim had withdrawn his latest offer, believed to be worth around £5billion, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe now expected to finalise a deal which will see him buy a 25 per cent minority stake in United for a fee of around £1.4bn.
The deal could be ratified at a United board meeting on Thursday and will bring to an end a saga that has dragged on for almost a full year, with the Glazers announcing in November last year that they would "consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions".
Sheikh Jassim had pledged to clear United's debt and invest heavily in improving the club's facilities and squad. However, he ended negotiations after failing to reach an agreement with the Glazers during the latest round of talks with the Glazers.
The Daily Mail claims that Sheikh Jassim is "very, very disappointed and angered at how this has played out", having put aside around $8bn (£6.57bn) to buy the club and then invest in it. As a result, he has been tipped to try and buy Liverpool next.
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It was reported last year that owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) had put Liverpool up for sale and they did admit in a statement that they would "consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club".
"There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group's ownership in Liverpool," the statement read.
Sheikh Jassim's attempt to buy Manchester United from the Glazers was unsuccessful"FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club. FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch."
However, principal owner John W Henry said in February that although they were seeking new investment, they were not looking to sell the club. "I know there has been a lot of conversation and quotes about LFC, but I keep to the facts: we merely formalized an ongoing process," he told the Boston Sports Journal.
"Will we be in England forever? No. Are we selling LFC? No. Are talking with investors about LFC? Yes. Will something happen there? I believe so, but it won't be a sale. Have we sold anything in the past 20+ years?"