The takeover process for Manchester United continues to drag on, with three rounds of bidding completed and a reported fourth and final offer from Sheikh Jassim.
It remains unclear who the preferred bidder is or when the process will be concluded, but Man Utd fans are hopeful that Sheikh Jassim will emerge victorious with his offer for 100% of the club, which would see the Glazers leave. In contrast, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s bid is for around 50% of the club, which would see Avram and Joel Glazer receive 20% back. This is one reason why the Qatari bid is popular among fans.
But who is Sheikh Jassim, the banker leading the takeover?
Sheikh Jassim, the Qatari banker leading the takeover bid for Manchester United, is the chairman of Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB). He spent part of his youth in the UK, attending school in Dorset before going on to the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. After becoming an officer cadet, he became a board member of Credit Suisse before becoming a banker himself, eventually becoming the chair of QIB. There is little information available about his personal life, including his exact age, which is reported to be around 40 or 41.
His father, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, was the prime minister of Qatar from 2007 to 2013 and has had dealings with the UK during his time in office. The family has a collective net worth of £275 billion, and money is unlikely to be a problem when it comes to Manchester United.
Sheikh Jassim reportedly plans to clear all of the club’s debt and make significant investments in the training ground and Old Trafford, possibly even building a new stadium. While he is said to be a Manchester United fan, there is limited evidence to support this claim beyond one photo of him in a club shirt, which has been described as unofficial by affiliates.