David Beckham denies being involved in Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani’s bid to take over Manchester United.
Sheikh Jassim and INEOS CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe are competing to buy the club from the controversial Glazer family, who said they were open to a sale last year.
Sheikh Jassim had been considered the favorite to take over at Old Trafford due to his desire to complete a full takeover, although successive rounds of bids have failed.
The Glazers are thought to be holding out for a stunning £6bn to sell the club, but Sheikh Jassim has not indicated that he will increase his £5bn offer, while Ratcliffe wants a minority interest with a view to a full takeover.
Beckham, an ardent booster of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, may return to Man United as an ambassador if Sheikh Jassim’s takeover succeeds.
Sky Sports News asked the Inter Miami co-owner if Sheikh Jassim was the right takeover candidate at the Qatar Grand Prix. He said, “We’ll see”.
Beckham, who retired from Qatari Sports Investment-owned Paris Saint-Germain in 2013, told CNBC that there had been “no discussion” about his involvement.
“No discussion yet. PSG has given me a longstanding relationship with Qatar. The 48-year-old stated there will be a connection and people do the math.
“The time is ideal for a takeover. We all have opinions on who should take over, but I think it should be the person who cares most about the club and will fix it.
“Everyone knows I support Manchester United and have spoken out against the situation. It was stable with the same manager and proprietors when I was little.
“Manchester United will always be a global powerhouse. Stability is lacking, thus fans, players, and managers must return to that. Get the talk back on the field, not off.
“I want an ownership group that will restore the team. Not that the previous owners did a horrible job, but it’s time for a new owner.”
Beckham won six Premier League titles and one Champions League at Old Trafford, scoring 85 goals and 120 assists in 394 matches.
According to Bloomberg, the Glazers prefer Ratcliffe’s minority investment proposal, which would give them full control of the club if he buys a 25% interest.
Man United are 10th in the Premier League after eight matches with four wins and four losses amidst takeover uncertainty.
