Manchester United are the subject of takeover interest from Qatari investors with an eye-watering package which could exceed £8 billion. That is according to the MailOnline, who claim 'a group of private, high-wealth individuals' are considering a move following their country's hosting of the recent World Cup.
Newcastle United currently trail the Red Devils by two points and one place in the Premier League table, following the home draw with West Ham. Eddie Howe's side are also preparing to face their top-four rivals in the Carabao Cup final later this month.
The prospective owners will reportedly make an offer in the 'coming days', ahead of the Glazer family's mid-February deadline for interested parties to come forward. The current owners are said to be asking more than £6bn for the club, with Old Trafford also providing another expensive obstacle.
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The iconic venue is facing either a costly redevelopment, or will need to be replaced in the coming seasons with a state-of-the-art facility. The report outlines the latter could cost more than £2bn, although the new owners could seek the views of supporters before making a decision either way.
Qatari Sports Investments ownership of Paris Saint-Germain could prove to be a 'stumbling block' however, with owners prevented from owning two clubs who could meet in the same competition. The interested buyers would only seek a full takeover, rather than investing for a partial stake.
A source told the title: "There are significant funds available. These people are serious. They want to make sure that United are where they should be and they are confident theirs will be the strongest bid.
"They want to strengthen the squad to put them back at the top but they also want this to be for the good of the community. They also want to build on the success of the World Cup. They recognise that Manchester United is the biggest football club in the world, the crown jewels, and there is a steely-minded determination to buy it and get it to where it should be."
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