Qatar’s plans to place Man Utd at the summit of Europe’s biggest multi-club network revealed

A plan to place Manchester United at the helm of Europe’s most powerful multi-club network has been drawn up in the expectation that the English Premier League club will be brought under Qatari ownership by the beginning of next season, Daily Record reports.

Qatar Sports Investments already owns Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain and a de facto controlling stake in the Liga Portugal club, Sporting Braga. Last week, a group fronted by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani – chairman of the Qatari Islamic Bank and son of the gulf state’s former Prime Minister – increased their offer to buy Manchester United plc in full, while QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced his interest in taking control of La Liga 2’s Malaga.

Al-Khelaifi has a strong relationship with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin; playing an important role in blocking a breakaway Super League in 2021. Asked about the proposed Qatari takeover of Manchester United earlier this month, Ceferin stated his readiness to consider a relaxation of the governing body’s rules on multi-club networks.

“This multi-club ownership question is an interesting question, I think we should think about it for the future and see what to do,” Ceferin said.