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Mohammad bin Salman
Reports of an incoming bid from Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, have been rampant in the news over the last one week. The mega-rich monarch is reportedly interested in acquiring a stake of the club or, if possible, buy it outright.
The Sun reports that Prince Mohammad bin Salman is looking to challenge Saudi’s Abu Dhabi rivals who own Manchester City. United is currently estimated at £3 billion, but that amount should pose no problem for the Saudi Prince who is worth over a hundred times more.
Saudi Arabia has recently taken sports development very seriously, and see football as a major PR tool for the country going forward. The oil-rich state has hugely invested in WWE and Formula 1, and venturing into football wouldn’t be out of place at all.
It is unknown if the Glazers will be willing to sell United, however, it is obvious that Prince Mohammad bin Salman is serious about acquiring a stake at the Old Trafford club.
But how well do you know the man who is planning a takeover of United?
Below are four things you need to know about Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman:
#4 His family is worth a whopping £1 trillion
Prince Mohammad bin Salman comes from a family that has money in abundance. His family is estimated to be worth close to a massive £1 trillion. This explains why he has no problem at all splashing the cash on the world’s richest club.
The Saudi Crown Prince himself is reportedly worth a staggering £850 billion at the moment. As the son of King Salman, he is the country’s second most important person. However, he seems to control everything, as his father is currently suffering from Alzheimer's.
Prince Mohammad bin Salman rose to prominence in 2017 when he wrested power from cousin Mohammad Bin Nayef, who was initially named Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. The 33-year-old has since been the leader of his family and the country at large.
Coming from a country that is worth almost £1 trillion, Prince Mohammad bin Salman can definitely afford anything, including a global club like Manchester United.
#3 He has a poor human rights record
Aside from all the royalty, extravagance, gloss and riches, one thing that dents Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s reputation is his poor human rights record. He has been widely criticised for his restrictions on press freedom in his native Saudi Arabia,
The criticisms became even worse following the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was reportedly murdered at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Another factor that clouds the image of the Saudi Prince is his reported imprisonment of critics and human rights activists who dare to question his directives.
He has also previously been allegedly involved in the death of thousands of civilians in Yemen following the 2015 civil war in the Asian country. Some human right organisations have also accused the Saudi Prince of taking a leading role in the bombing of civilians, hospitals and schools in Yemen.
#2 He owns the world’s most expensive home
By now you should be aware that the riches of Prince Mohammad bin Salman have no bounds. The Saudi Prince owns a variety of properties including the most expensive home in the world. He is believed to have splashed a whopping £230 million on a stunning mansion in the western part of Paris, France.
The plush mansion, known as Chateau Louis XIV, is built across 50,000 sq ft and has 10 bedrooms. It also has an indoor and outdoor pool, as well as a moat circled by a beautiful aquarium. His yacht, which he bought in 2015 from Russian vodka tycoon Yuri Shefler, is also reportedly worth over £380 million.
When it comes to the money, Prince Mohammad bin Salman has no problem opening the cheque book, and that is evident by some of the lavish spending he has made in the past.
Buying Manchester United will require him to dig deeper into his purse, but a man of such worth would definitely have no problem making an offer, no matter how substantial or outrageous.
#1 He is a good friend of US President Donald Trump
There is a saying that diplomacy attracts diplomatic friends. In the case of Prince Mohammad bin Salman, his status as the second most important man in Saudi Arabia demands that he mingles with some of the most important people in the world.
For a man who travels around the world on several political ventures, he often gets to meet several “big” people. It is, therefore, no surprise that he is a very good friend of US President, Donald Trump. The pair have been sighted together at various events.
The Saudi Prince is also a good friend of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, as well as The Queen. It is safe to say Prince Mohammad bin Salman is often in good company due to his status, but as to whether that could land him in the Director’s Box at Old Trafford is another issue altogether.
