Al Watan editor responds to claim Sheikh Jassim close to Manchester United deal

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The managing editor of Qatari newspaper Al Watan has denied claims that Sheikh Jassim’s takeover of Premier League giants Manchester United is close to completion.

It seems Man City are not the only ones who know how it feels to have your parade rained upon.

Reports purporting to come from Sheikh Jassim’s Middle Eastern homeland indicating that the Qatari bid had been successful in his attempts to wrestle Manchester United from Glazer hands sent Twitter into a frenzy on Monday night.

But there were two seemingly innocuous words in Al Watan’s post which were glossed over by many; ‘Press reports’. 

These were not claims coming from Al-Watan’s own sources. But rather a round-up of the rumours that had been swirling on social media over the previous 24 hours.

Unfortunately for United fans sick to the back teeth of relentless speculation, this was the equivalent of reading a transfer rumour on the BBC’s ‘Gossip’ page and assuming it was fact. 

This was something we noted in our report last night, writing: “It is worth noting that Al Watan is not claiming an exclusive on the takeover, yet, nor is there a report on their website. The tweet instead cites, ‘press reports’ – so make of this what you will.”

Sheikh Jassim yet to agree deal with Glazers

Al Watan’s editorial director, Fahed Al Emadi, meanwhile, took to social media to not only inform the Twittersphere that they had misread the situation. But also to clarify that his newspaper is not – as some claim – owned by Sheikh Jassim himself. 

“For more clarification,” he writes. “Contrary to certain media and social media reports overnight, Al Watan is not owned by Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.

“And Al Watan’s media report yesterday speculating about possible movement in the Manchester United takeover process was based on international media reports, as stated in the article itself, and with such news widely circulating periodically in international media for many months.”

The good news, at least, is that there appears to be some light at the end of a seemingly perpetual tunnel.

The Times beleive that talks with both parties – Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos group – are heading in the right direction. A long-awaited decision from the Glazer family potentially, and hopefully, only a few days away.