#9 Sheikh Mansour
The ‘other’ Manchester club, Manchester City, became giants of English football almost pretty quickly when the club was purchased by billionaire Sheikh Mansour. It wasn't just the injection of his billions that rejuvenated a club that never climbed above mid-table but his political associations and many investments around the world make him a very resourceful man.
Member of the ruling family in the United Arab Emirates, he is the half-brother of the current president of the U.A.E. and holds many important positions in the country’s government including the post of Deputy Prime Minister.
Mansour acquired Manchester City in 2008 through his privately owned investment company, Abu Dhabi Group and helped changed the club’s fortune. They went from a club that was used to fighting relegation to title contenders and have dominated the top four since the change in ownership.
Mansour helped break the monopoly that had developed in the top half of the table and didn’t just stop there. Thanks to Ferran Soriano, the CEO of Manchester Cty, Mansour has been able to spread his influence to the A-League in Australia and the MLS where he owns Melbourne City FC and New York City FC respectively.
