Levi Rothermund
Saudi sports chief’s X post fuels questions over Manchester United sale
Manchester United sources have pushed back against a claim by Saudi sports supremo Turki Alalshikh that the club is in advanced talks to sell to a new investor. The posts, shared on X earlier this week to Alalshikh’s 7.2 million followers, prompted swift denials from people close to the club.
Alalshikh’s original message read:
“The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor. I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”
He followed that with a second post clarifying he was not the prospective buyer and saying the buyer was “nor are they from my nation.” Despite that qualification, the posts have left outstanding questions about whether any Saudi-linked approach exists, and what shape it might take.
There has been anticipation of talks between United and Saudi authorities about staging at least one mid-season friendly to help offset lost income after missing out on European competition. United head coach Ruben Amorim spoke about the need for such fixtures, saying:
“We have to do it. We knew that when we missed Europe, we had to compensate [for] a lot of things, including our fans and the budget. So we are putting [it] all together to do that.”
Alalshikh, who recently revealed the latest Riyadh Season schedule, did not include football on the programme though organisers have left room to add matches. He also said the brand value of the season’s sporting events has reached $3.2bn (£2.39bn).
There is history between United and Saudi organisations. In 2017 the club signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the country’s General Sports Authority aimed at helping develop football as part of the 2030 Vision. United also signed a sponsorship deal with Saudi Telecom in 2008 that was extended in 2013 — arrangements that fuelled speculation at the time about potential Saudi investment.
But any future purchase would face regulatory hurdles. The Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ test would have to be satisfied, and the landscape is complicated by the role of the Public Investment Fund — which has run Newcastle United since 2021.
Four Saudi Pro-League clubs —
- Al-Nassr
- Al-Hilal
- Al-Ittihad
- Al-Ahli
— are run by the PIF, and it seems unlikely the league would accept multiple top-level links to the same ultimate source even if different individuals ran each club.
Past takeover approaches have foundered before reaching a formal league decision. Sheikh Jassim’s earlier attempt never advanced far enough for the Premier League to rule on conflicts of interest. In contrast, a Saudi-backed bid today would face a different regulatory backdrop because of the PIF’s existing Premier League involvement.
Recent developments around Sir Jim Ratcliffe also shape the club’s ownership picture. Ratcliffe now owns nearly 30% of Manchester United after a part-purchase last year and has described a hands-on role at the club. In an interview he said:
“We’re local, and they’re the other side of the pond. That’s a long way away to try and manage a football club as big and as complex as Manchester United. We’re here with feet on the ground.”
Ratcliffe also referred to contractual mechanics that could affect future sales. His investment carries a “drag-on” clause, effective from August 2025, that would require him to sell if the Glazer family accepted an offer above the price he paid — about $33 a share. The club’s latest accounts note additional restrictions to February 2027 on things such as buying another club and paying dividends, though exceptions exist for transactions “in connection with a change of control.”
Despite the media speculation and social posts, United insiders say there is no active sale to a Saudi investor. With competing commercial and regulatory questions unresolved, answers may not come quickly. For now the club has publicly denied the advanced-sale claim and the story remains open.