Levi Rothermund
Saudi sports chief’s takeover claim draws swift denials from Manchester United
Manchester United sources have rejected a post by Saudi sports official Turki Alalshikh saying the club was “in an advanced stage” of being sold to a new investor. The claim, posted on X where Alalshikh has 7.2m followers, provoked immediate questions inside Old Trafford.
Alalshikh wrote: “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.” Multiple people close to United say the assertion is untrue and that, until Alalshikh clarifies, the post leaves many unanswered questions.
Talks between United and Saudi organisers had been expected in coming weeks about staging at least one mid‑season friendly. With United out of European competition this season the club is exploring matches that could help make up lost revenue and give supporters a marquee fixture. It is unclear whether the opponent would be a Saudi Pro League side or a high‑profile European club such as AC Milan.
The club’s head coach, Ruben Amorim, underlined the practical reasons for such a match. “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.”
“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.”
On Sunday Alalshikh unveiled the latest Riyadh Season schedule. The programme did not list football, though organisers say a game could still be added. He also said the brand value of the season’s events had reached $3.2bn.
There is a track record of engagement between United and Saudi bodies. In 2017 the club signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the country’s General Sports Authority to help develop football as part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision. United also agreed a sponsorship with Saudi Telecom in 2008 that was extended for a further five years in 2013. Those deals sparked previous speculation about a Saudi bid for the Glazer‑owned club but no takeover followed.
Any prospective Saudi purchase would face scrutiny under the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors’ test. The challenge is that the Public Investment Fund runs Newcastle United and is involved with several Saudi clubs — Al‑Nassr, Al‑Hilal, Al‑Ittihad and Al‑Ahli — which raises obvious competition and ownership questions for the league.
Meanwhile Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who completed a part purchase last year and now owns nearly 30% of United, has described how the club’s day‑to‑day operation works. He said the Glazer family allow him to run the club locally while they remain involved remotely.
“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 addressed governance arrangements. A ‘drag on’ clause from August 2025 would require him to sell if the Glazers accepted an offer above the price he paid — about $33 a share. The most recent financial accounts, published last month, note additional restrictions until February 2027 on buying another club and paying dividends, though one exception is if a transaction is “in connection with a change of control transaction.” Ratcliffe has previously said: “I don’t think we’re going to be taking the legal agreements out of the bottom drawer.”
“It absolutely wouldn’t happen because it’s just a good working relationship.”
Ratcliffe’s public comments suggest no secret negotiations are under way behind his back. But the initial social post and the club’s denials have only added to speculation. For now, United insiders say there are no active takeover talks to report and that confirmation from Alalshikh would be needed to explain his post.
Until then, supporters and observers are left waiting for clarity.