According to reports, Sheikh Jassim has identified which three players he wants to sign this summer if his takeover of Man Utd is successful.
Qatar’s Jassim is among the candidates in the running to buy the Premier League club from the Glazer family.
Back in February, it was reported that he would ‘blow rivals away’ with a ‘massive offer’ and Erik ten Hag would subsequently receive a ‘huge transfer kitty’.
The third and final round of bidding for Man Utd took place at the end of last month and Jassim is still being challenged by INEOS’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
While Jassim has submitted an all-or-nothing proposal, Ratcliffe is reportedly willing to compromise and keep the Glazer family in the frame as long as he becomes the club’s new majority shareholder.
Jassim seems to be confident that he is leading the takeover race, as he was ‘bemused’ by reports suggesting Ratcliffe submitted the ‘highest bid’ for United last month.
If reports are to be believed, Jassim is already planning for life as the owner of Man Utd. German journalist Christian Falk has claimed that the potential buyer ‘wants to go for Kingsley Coman, Eduardo Camavinga and Kylian Mbappe if their takeover is successful’.
Mbappe’s contract is due to expire in 2024 and it is expected that he will secure a move to Real Madrid unless a Premier League beat them to the signing.
Camavinga meanwhile was linked with a shock loan move to Arsenal in January amid his lack of game time for Real Madrid. They are reportedly now close to signing Jude Bellingham so a move to United for the Frenchman could be possible, while Coman is one player consistently linked with the Premier League.
A separate recent report from The Sun boldly indicated that ‘one of Jassim’s first actions’ would be to sign Neymar as he would ‘signal the intentions of the new owners’.
It is anticipated that the takeover process will drag on until the summer and Football Insider finance expert – Kieran Maguire – has warned United supporters that there will be “no rocket boosters applied to secure marquee signings” if the Glazers are still around at the start of the transfer window.
“Markets like certainty and that includes the transfer market,” Maguire told Football Insider.
“If the Man United takeover drags on over the summer, it is unlikely that the Glazers will commit to putting any of their money into the transfer kitty.
“But, that’s no different to the way they have treated the club since their initial takeover at Old Trafford in 2005.
“I don’t think we will see any reduction as far as the transfer budget is concerned, but fans will be fuming if a takeover isn’t agreed as there will be no rocket boosters applied to secure marquee signings.
“That might have been the case if the club was sold to an owner who wanted to make a big impression this summer.“
