Saudi Arabian billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh has set tongues wagging this week after making a claim surrounding Manchester United being took over from the Glazers and Ineos
Saudi Arabian billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh has a net worth that reportedly pales in comparison to that of current Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, following his cryptic message regarding the club’s future. United are currently in a period where the Glazers can sell the entirety of their stake in the club thanks to their ‘drag along’ rights being activated.
This is common practice in the business world as it prevents majority owners from being held captive to the whims of the minority stakeholder. Despite the Glazers holding the power to sell from underneath Ratcliffe, there has been little talk of this happening until Wednesday night.
In a surprising tweet, Saudi businessman Al-Sheikh suggested that the club could soon be owned by new investors. “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,” he wrote.
READ MORE: Turki Al-Sheikh drops cryptic Man Utd takeover update and says deal is ‘advanced’READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe comment on the Glazers and Ruben Amorim ‘intervention’ speaks volumes
“I hope he’s better than the previous owners.” So with this in mind, Mirror Football has taken a look at who Al-Sheikh is and how much he is worth compared to those running United currently.
Who is Turki Al-Sheikh?
If you are a fan of boxing, Al-Sheikh will be no stranger to you. Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, he is the founder of the Riyadh Season, which is a series of entertainment, cultural and sporting events used to advertise the country of Saudi Arabia.
Thanks to the money on offer, the Riyadh Season has proven to be a hit for the Middle East country. Al-Sheikh has taken a keen interest in boxing and has organised several super fights, including the likes of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford.
He has also managed to attract the investment of WWE with the professional wrestling titan holding several Premium Live Events (PLEs or PPVs) in the country. This will soon include Wrestlemania, which is set to be hosted in 2027.
Away from combat sports, Al-Sheikh also has a hand in football having purchased Spanish club Almeria in 2019. The club currently sit ninth in the second tier of Spanish football.
What is his net worth?
In 2024, CEO Today magazine reported that Turki Al-Sheikh’s net worth is believed to be around $2.8bn (£2.08bn). To put this in perspective, Forbes estimates that Ratcliffe is currently worth a staggering $17.2bn (£12.8bn).
As for the Glazers, they are thought to have a net worth valued at a combined $10bn (£7.46bn), also according to Forbes.
Could Turki Al-Sheikh buy United?
While he did not insinuate that he is the person looking to buy United, Al-Sheikh probably would not be able to even if he so desired. As is clear, he does not have the financial assets near that of those currently owning the club.
His best bet would be to make up part of a consortium. But, as mentioned, there is no insinuation that he has any interest in owning the Reds.
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