Manchester United sources have strongly rejected claims by Saudi sports supremo Turki Alalshikh that the club is in “advanced negotiations” over a sale to a new investor.
Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s general entertainment authority, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that news of an advanced sale was the “best news I heard today,” leading to immediate speculation.
However, multiple sources close to the Old Trafford club insisted the claim is untrue.
The speculation comes as United explores playing a mid-season friendly in Saudi Arabia to generate funds after missing out on European competition.
Any potential sale to a Saudi-backed entity would likely face significant scrutiny from the Premier League’s Owners and Directors’ test, particularly given the Public Investment Fund (PIF) already owns Newcastle United.
The current structure sees Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group controlling football operations following his minority stake purchase last year, with Ratcliffe stating he has a “good working relationship” with the Glazer family, who remain the majority owners.
