Sheikh Jassim ‘more likely’ to make Tottenham takeover decision after $8bn Man United failure

Tottenham takeover news as Daniel Levy could be forced to make a decision in the near future about his position within the club

After failing to purchase Premier League rivals Manchester United, Qatari investor Sheikh Jassim is now viewed as’more likely’ to attempt to purchase Tottenham from chairman Daniel Levy.

The 41-year-old, who is presently the chair of Qatar Islamic Bank, offered the American family $8 billion (£5 billion) in cash in return for the club in its entirety, wiping off their debt and providing new facilities for Man United. However, the offer was flatly refused. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, an executive of INEOS, has been appointed to oversee the football department at the club following the acceptance of his $1.6 billion (£1.3 billion) offer for a 25% stake last month.

Since then, the mogul has been touted as a potential suitor to buy Spurs after Levy admitted that he’d be prepared to leave his position in the club if the price was right. He explained: “I’ve got no real interest to leave Tottenham, but I have a duty to consider anything that anyone may want to propose.

“It’s not about me, it’s about what’s right for the club. We have 30,000 shareholders who own approximately 13.5

“Unless things change, I wouldn’t put too much weight on that one, and from what I’ve heard from people in the industry, they don’t think Tottenham will be involved. To further hurt Man United supporters who had hoped he would join, some have suggested he should transfer to Liverpool. He may have moved, but I am not aware of it.”

The club’s recent success under Ange Postecoglou has made matters more complicated. Levy and the board’s relationship with the fans during the previous few seasons under Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, which saw an increase in opposition to their financial commitments to the team, contrasts sharply with the Australian’s already strong bond with the fans.

“Would they have passed the owners and directors test? We’ve heard so much about that, how they’re tightening it up and how other Premier League clubs want the nation state stopped from investing in clubs

“It would definitely be nice to hear from Sheikh Jassim or somebody from their camp, on the record, to understand what really happened at Man United and where they may or may not go next. Did they just launch this vehicle to buy into Man United because he was said to be an avid supporter of the club? Or do they have grand ambitions to go elsewhere?

“I wouldn’t place too much emphasis on that one unless things change, and from what I’ve heard from people in the industry, they do not expect that to be Tottenham. Some have suggested that he should switch to Liverpool in order to further inflict pain on Man United supporters who had hoped for him to join. I am not aware of him going to another place.”

The situation has been further complicated by the club’s recent success under Ange Postecoglou. The Australian’s already strong bond with the fans contrasts sharply with Levy and the board’s relationship with the supporters during the previous few seasons under Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho, which saw a rise in opposition to their financial commitments to the team.

A shift at the top could advance their goals, since summer additions like Micky Van de Ven and James Maddison have already blended in flawlessly with the team’s new aesthetic. Spurs may follow in the footsteps of Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi and Newcastle United’s Saudi Arabian ownership groups, who have already threatened to use their enormous wealth to distance themselves from the Premier League’s competition.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire now thinks that Jassim’s interactions with the Glazers prevented him from playing football in the past, but that may not have stopped him from speaking with other Premier

league managers. According to sources close to the Jassim bid, he was utterly irate over the Glazers’ behavior, the man said.

It would be more appropriate to say that they felt slippery, and they have no desire to go back to the table. Right now, I believe their chances of beating Spurs are probably higher than their chances of beating Manchester United.

“If we look at the Premier League, United is a team that is seeking a transfer of ownership or power. Given the situation involving their owners, it’s reasonable to say that Spurs are in the running.”