Man United is currently interested in receiving bids, and a Qatari company is working on a proposal that will blow away all other potential buyers.
Fans have a strong desire to see the Red Devils leave American ownership, which they have had for nearly twenty years (and counting). The Glazers’ management of the club has drawn much criticism, particularly because the performance of the Red Devils on the field has deteriorated while the club’s infrastructure has worsened.
United continue to be a massive asset, and it will take a massive deal to see them change hands. However, countries like Qatar own such riches that a dramatic change might be on the cards. With their ownership of PSG dating back to 2011, the Middle Eastern nation has previously demonstrated their financial might.
Since being acquired by the Qatari Sports Investment (QSI), the French team has had a meteoric rise in their profile, both on and off the field; as a result, the Parisians have become one of the most dominant teams in Europe. They have had multiple encounters with United, but if they both ran under Qatari control, it might have significant ramifications for both organizations.
Would it be possible for PSG and Man United to compete in the Champions League?
No, it does not appear like they are capable of doing so. This is due to a rule that was implemented in the late 1990s called the “Integrity of the UEFA Club competitions: Independence of clubs.” This rule is the reason why this is the case. It stipulates that no two clubs that are competing against one another in the same league can be controlled, either directly or indirectly, by the same ownership group.
This is determined by a number of factors, the most important of which is the composition of the club’s majority shareholders. According to the rules, Qatar would have to make a decision regarding which of their two teams will participate in the competition in the event that both United and PSG qualify for the tournament.
PSG is desperate to win the Champions League for the very first time in their history. Their Qatari owners have spent over one billion dollars on the team, yet multiple managers have tried but been unsuccessful in winning Europe’s premier award. After losing to Bayern Munich in the final of the 2020 tournament, Thomas Tuchel came the closest to winning.
United, on the other hand, has fallen further down the European standings as of late, as seen by their inability to advance past the group stage or their relegation to the Europa League throughout the course of the past decade. On one occasion, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was able to guide them to the round of eight, but ever since Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge, they have not been able to advance to the latter stages.
There are no limitations placed on the ability of an owner to purchase multiple clubs at the same time across multiple nations.