Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani: The Qatari Heir Vying for Ownership of Manchester United

Qatari Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani, son of former Qatar prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, has submitted a bid for Manchester United, one of world football's most prestigious clubs. Sheikh Jassim, the second son of HBJ, chairs investment bank and asset manager QInvest, as well as the Qatar Islamic Bank.

His advisers on the bid for Manchester United, which has been owned by the Glazers since 2005, are confident it will prove more compelling than a rival proposal from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Sheikh Jassim has said his vision is to return the club to its "former glories" through "sustainable investment" in its players and infrastructure via a newly established vehicle called the Nine Two Foundation. The bid, which will be debt-free, is expected to value the club at about $4.5bn.

With fans increasingly restless at the direction of the club under the Glazers, Manchester United has been on Sheikh Jassim’s radar for the past 12 months, according to a person familiar with the matter. Funding for the bid has no connection to the Qatari state, and people familiar with the matter say that is essential in adhering to Uefa rules that block multiple ownership of clubs, given the Qatar state controls French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Sheikh Jassim has long been in his father’s shadow. HBJ was at the forefront of geopolitics and international finance through a long career as foreign minister, prime minister, and head of the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund. He helped forge modern Qatar together with the father emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, by building a massive natural gas export industry. That fuelled Qatar’s transformation from a modest oil exporter into one of the world’s richest countries.

As head of the QIA, HBJ deployed excess hydrocarbon revenues in a bid to build a future for Qatar in a post-oil era. The QIA became a global name in finance, investing in carmaker Volkswagen and grocer Sainsbury’s, as well as London’s Canary Wharf and luxury department store Harrods.

Sheikh Jassim’s advisers on the Manchester United bid are confident that he will prove to be an ideal owner of the football club, given his wealth and passion for football. He has vowed to bring success back to the club, which has struggled over the past decade, and has said that he will use sustainable investment in its players and infrastructure to achieve this goal. Manchester United fans are eagerly awaiting news on the progress of the Sheikh Jassim bid, with many hoping that it will result in a new era of success for the club.