Saudi Arabian crown prince worth £850 billion eyes Manchester United takeover

According to a well-sourced  report from 'The Sun', Crown Prince Mohammad, second in power only to the King of Saudi Arabia, wants to launch a takeover of Premier League club Manchester United.

The Crown Prince wants to make his own mark in the global world of football, and sees United as the perfect club with which to do this. 

There are numerous possibilities for the deal to take place: a family friend, Saudi-owned company or the state's sovereign wealth fund could make the proposal to the Glazer Family, to buy their shares in the club which hold a current value of  £3 billion. 

If the Glazers were to sell the club, it is thought that they would value their shares at a much higher price, although the Crown Prince could just as easily decide to buy a portion of the shares. 

Saudi Arabia have already made a splash in the sporting world, making purchases in both Formula 1 and World Wrestling Entertainment, while football is already part of the ongoing power struggle between the Gulf States. 

For example, Saudi Arabia severed all ties with Qatar last year, banning Qatari owned television channel BEIN Sports from their country, and so a takeover of United will put them in direct competition with Qatari-owned Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League.

Yet it must be stressed that the Glazer family have expressed no desire to sell the club since their arrival in 2005.  But it is also well known that one of the family, Avram Glazer has spent considerable time in Saudi Arabia lately, so it is anyone's guess what will happen in the coming months. 

For United fans the news would be welcomed greatly, as they have not held back in expressing their opposition to the club's American owners over the years.