THE father of the Qatari billionaire who has made an offer to buy Manchester United does not support the bid.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has revealed he views the potential takeover as an investment opportunity, rather than an advertisement for his country.
GettySheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani has expressed doubt over the takeover[/caption]
Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad al-Thani tabled a bid last monthAFP
His son Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has tabled a bid believed to be worth less than Raine’s £6billion asking price.
Al Thani’s bid is reportedly worth £5bn but he is promising to wipe the club’s debt and fund upgrades for both Old Trafford and Carrington.
It is thought his backing will be provided by Sheikh Hamad, the former Qatar prime minister who has amassed his wealth through gas and oil, as well as wise investments.
And in an interview with The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations, published by Bloomberg, Sheikh Hamad expressed doubt over the takeover.
He said: “I am not a football fan.
“I don’t like this investment. Maybe it will work well. But you know, some of my sons like this, they always discuss it with me. They’re pushing hard. This isn’t my speciality.
“Let me put it like this: I am an investor. If it will one day be a good investment, I will think about it. I will not look at it as something you do just as an advertisement.”
However Sheikh Hamad also admitted he was not initially supportive of Qatar hosting the World Cup, which he now accepts was a huge success.
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He added: “If it was my choice, I wouldn’t have done it at that time.
“When I was prime minister and this idea came to his Highness, the Father Emir, and his crown prince at the time, Sheikh Tamim, they knew that I was against it.
“Because I thought that’s a lot of money and effort that will be spent. We could spend it on something else that’s good for the people and the country.
“But if you ask me now, I will tell you there was a lot of positive outcomes. And the positive outcome was not only putting Qatar on the map.
“Look at the people who visited. I knew many from the business community, from all over the world. They came, some of them for the first time. They brought their families.”