Manchester United Supporters Trust raise questions over ‘sporting integrity’ amid bids for the club

Concerns have been raised about “sporting integrity and LGBTQ+ rights” after the first offers to buy Manchester United were made.

The club’s American owners, the Glazer family, set a Friday night deadline of 10 p.m. to submit bids to buy the club, with both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani submitting bids.

The owners are not expected to budge from their £6bn asking price for the club.

Qatar’s offer has raised some concerns among fans. Al Thani is the chairman of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), which names the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) as its main shareholder.

Since the QIA also owns the Qatar Sports Authority (QSA), which in turn owns European club Paris Saint-Germain, some fan organizations have questioned the offer.

Qatar have submitted their offer for Man United, vowing to restore ‘glories on and off the pitch’

Glazer’s owners are not expected to budge from their current valuation of the club at £6bn.

A statement on the recent offers published by the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) read: ‘There are questions about sporting integrity given the exceptionally close ties between some bidders and the owners of other European clubs, including PSG and Nice.

“There are also questions about whether any offers will also be based on high levels of debt.”

“We urge all bidders to open a dialogue with fan groups in conjunction with the bidding process with the club, to discuss their proposals, including the above issues.”

It MUST also make it clear that any perspective owner must “respect the rights of all people, particularly women and the LGBTQ+ community.” Other fan groups have expressed their concern and we fully support them.”

British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe also submitted an offer to buy the club.

Along with the treatment of migrant workers, LGBTQ+ rights were a dominant theme at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, a country that criminalizes same-sex relationships.

MUST’s latest point focused on supporting United on the pitch as they added: ‘Everyone can see the progress the team is making under Erik Ten Hag.

‘After the frustrations of the last decade, it is clear that huge strides are being made. Any prospective bidder must explicitly commit to backing Erik and his plans to restore United to glory.”

Ten Hag’s side currently lead Leicester 3-0 in their Premier League clash after two goals from Marcus Rashford and one from Jaden Sancho.