Manchester United have not made any comment on rumours linking the club with a possible sale
Some reports in recent days have speculated that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is the son of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, is considering making an offer to buy the club from current owners, the Glazer family.
James Ducker, Northern Football Correspondent for The Telegraph, writes that United did not comment on the speculation on Monday evening.
Talk that United may be the subject of a takeover attempt from the Saudi royal family is nothing new. The club have established numerous commercial partnerships with companies based in the country over the last decade and even began a new strategic partnership with the the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia in the last twelve months.
Despite such talk that the Saudis may be considering a takeover attempt, there is no indication that the Glazer family have any intentions of selling United any time soon. The Americans have been in charge since 2005, their £790m leveraged buyout fiercely opposed by many supporters as it immediately saw the club plunged into debt. A recent article from David Conn in The Guardian pointed out that the club’s owners had drained £1bn out of the club in interest, costs, fees and dividends since taking charge 13 years ago.
Reports that Saudi Arabia may be considering a move for the 20-time Premier League champions come in the same week that the country is facing international scrutiny over the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi. The journalist, who has criticised Prince Mohammad in the past, has not been seen since he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul a fortnight ago.
Officials in Turkey have since indicated that they fear Khashoggi was killed there, reports from Turkey’s Sabah outlet claiming he recorded his own death via his Apple Watch.
