Manchester United: Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim withdraws from process to buy club
Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has withdrawn from the process to buy Manchester United, BBC Sport has been told.
Sheikh Jassim had bid £5bn for the club but further talks this week have broken down.
The Glazer family, who bought United for £790m in 2005, announced in November 2022 they were considering selling.
British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos Group was the other main bidder but only wanted a controlling stake.
Figures in March showed United owed £969.6m through a combination of gross debt, bank borrowings and outstanding transfer fees with associated payments.
Earlier this month BBC Sport reported Ratcliffe was considering whether to offer to buy a minority stake in the club in an effort to break the impasse over the ownership situation.
The Glazer family’s announcement last year that they were considering selling United led to a flurry of interest but only two offers, from Ineos and Sheikh Jassim.
Both tabled bids of around £5bn.
Sheikh Jassim’s camp have always maintained he was only interested in buying 100% of the club. However, Ratcliffe said he wanted a majority stake.
United supporters have held demonstrations against the Glazer family inside and outside Old Trafford.
