Turki Al-Sheikh Hints Manchester United Is Close to Full Sale

Saudi Arabia’s top sports administrator, Turki Al-Sheikh, has hinted that Manchester United may be on the verge of a complete sale.

Al-Sheikh, who heads the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), the body responsible for promoting major sports and entertainment events in Saudi Arabia — made the revelation in a post on X on Wednesday night.

According to him, the Premier League giants are in an “advanced stage” of finalizing a deal with a new investor.

“The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor. I hope he’s better than the previous owners,”

Al-Sheikh wrote.

This revelation comes roughly 20 months after British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, through his company INEOS, purchased a 27.7% stake in Manchester United from the Glazer family. He has since increased that stake to 28.94%, gaining control of the club’s football operations.

The Glazers, who remain the majority owners, had earlier turned down a £5 billion takeover offer from Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim Al-Thani.

Al-Sheikh’s comment also aligns with ongoing reports that United are in talks with Saudi Arabia over potential mid-season friendly matches.

The matches could reportedly fetch the club about £5 million per game, a significant boost considering United missed out on European competitions last season. 

Sources say Al-Sheikh may be involved in facilitating these negotiations, given his influence over Saudi Arabia’s global sporting projects.

Under INEOS control, the club dismissed Erik ten Hag last November and brought in Ruben Amorim as head coach. But Amorim’s reign hasn’t delivered the expected turnaround.

United endured their worst-ever Premier League finish 15th last season, and also suffered heartbreak in the Europa League final, missing out on any European competition for the first time since 2014/15.

This season, the Red Devils sit 10th after seven matches, already knocked out of the EFL Cup by lower-league side Grimsby Town. Amorim is still searching for consistency, as United prepare for a tough clash against Liverpool after the international break.

If Al-Sheikh’s claims are accurate, the Red Devils may soon see a complete ownership change, potentially marking the end of the Glazer era that has lasted nearly two decades.

For now, neither Manchester United nor INEOS has issued any official comment, leaving fans to speculate whether this is the long-awaited turning point for the club — both financially and competitively.