Manchester United, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur could all be under consideration for a bid from Qatar Sports Investment.
According to reliable outlet Bloomberg, the 2022 World Cup hosts have already held talks with Premier League clubs.
QSI chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi is believed to have met Daniel Levy over the possibility of purchasing a stake in Spurs, while spokespeople for both North-West rivals declined to comment on speculation.
The Qataris are thought to be keen on acquiring a Premier League club, both as a result of the league’s ever-growing popularity and as a hedge against their assets in less desirable leagues.
QSI hold a stake in Portuguese side SC Braga, and of course own Paris Saint-Germain.
It would not be the first time they cast an eye over English football, having previously considered purchasing a stake in Leeds United back in 2019.
At the time Leeds were in the Championship and may not have been all too attractive a proposition for the ambitious investment group.
Now, buoyed by having hosted the most expensive sporting event of all time, the Qataris are said to want a high-profile piece of the Premier League.
But while Bloomberg reports that a full buyout is under consideration, there are important wrinkles that would complicated it.
UEFA rules will not allow to teams with the same outright ownership to compete in their European competitions.
However, there is nothing to stop one group from having minority stakes in multiple clubs in the Champions League.
Therefore, unless QSI are willing to give up PSG and do it quickly, the purchase of a minority stake in Man United would be perhaps the most likely outcome.
The Glazer family are said to be looking to resolve their situation by the end of 2023’s first quarter.
So while QSI could become part of the picture behind a full sale, an outright takeover by the sports fund is unlikely.
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