Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is ready to sweeten his Manchester United bid by utilising the Glazer's NFL franchise.
The Qatari businessman tabled a fresh £5bn offer on Saturday as he looks to battle with Ineos chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Finland's Thomas Zilliacus. The current figure, which could yet be below the Glazer's valuation, would still represent the highest ever fee paid for a sports team.
Sheikh Jassim isn't done there however and wants to use the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a bargaining tool. The NFL side, who won the Super Bowl in 2021, are owned the Glazers and the Qatari has offered the prospect of playing regular season games in the Middle East.
The sport already travels to Europe as it looks to cash in on its global appeal. Games are regularly played in London, whilst Munich has also been added as a venue recently. Now the prospect of playing another lucrative game in Qatar could also be on the table, reports The Sun.
A source said: “He has been impressed with the Glazers and would like to work with them in the future. Part of his proposal has been that the Glazers could bring their NFL team to Qatar for an exhibition game in the national stadium in Doha. This would help cement Qatar’s stature as a destination for sporting spectacles and offer the Glazers a chance to spread their NFL brand and cash in.
“Sheikh Jassim has offered to insert a clause in any takeover deal guaranteeing this and it appeals to the Glazers.”
NFL executive vice-president Peter O’Reilly has talked about the sport's ambition to continue playing games around the globe. He said: “Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the NFL, and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the US in 2023.”
The deadline for submitting offers for the Manchester outfit had been delayed from its original Wednesday date. The Qataris remain confident they can see off their rivals and secure a takeover, which would further the state-involvement in the Premier League.
Manchester City and Newcastle are currently owned by nations from the Middle East whilst Qatar is heavily involved in PSG. The Glazers, who bought the Premier League giants for £750m, could make a huge profit as they explore "strategic alternatives" that could involve a full sale or the introduction of a minority investor.
