When Sheikh Jassim tried to purchase Manchester United, he found ten players to sign.
When Sheikh Jassim attempted to acquire the 13-time Premier League champion, he found ten transfer targets to sign for Manchester United.
Jassim was among the top bidders to purchase the Old Trafford team as soon as it was revealed in November 2022 that the Glazers were “exploring strategic alternatives” for the team.
Jassim reportedly made five bids to purchase all of United, and he was in the race.
In the end, Sir Jim Ratcliffe won the race and paid £1.25 billion to acquire 27.7% of the club, despite his plans to pay off existing debts and renovate both Old Trafford and the Carrington training complex.
Ratcliffe and INEOS have implemented numerous cost-cutting measures since assuming control of the club, and their management style has drawn harsh criticism.
If bidding were to reopen, there are still rumours that Jassim is still interested in purchasing United, either the entire team or the Glazers’ controlling ownership.
It was said that the Qatari financier was willing to fund a massive transfer budget of £500 million if he had been successful in the beginning.
According to a May 2023 El Pais report, Jassim identified ten transfer targets that he believed could assist United return to their pre-crisis level.
Sheikh Jassim wanted United to sign whom?
England captain Harry Kane was a major target for United at the time, but he and another name on the list, Kim Min Jae, ended up at Bayern Munich, where Kingsley Coman, another previous United target, is currently playing.
Victor Osimhen and Dusan Vlahovic were also included on the list of strikers. While Osimhen departed Napoli for Galatasaray on loan on the summer transfer deadline and may still be a target for United, the Juventus star still leads the line for the Bianconeri.
Victor Osimhen went on loan from Napoli to Galatasaray. Picture: Getty
Alexis Mac Allister was briefly considered in midfield but ended up signing a £35 million deal with rival Liverpool, which has been a major hit.
Frenkie de Jong is still playing for Barcelona, while Adrien Rabiot, who seems to be linked to United every year, signed a new contract with Juventus before returning to France with Marseille.
Ronald Araujo, a Blaugrana teammate, remained in his current position as well, despite only making eight appearances this season because of injury issues.
In the January transfer window, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia eventually left Napoli, spending £59 million to join Paris Saint-Germain.
