Saudis eye £4bn bid for United
International Forum, but he is believed to have pulled out of the engagement.
United’s co-owners know that they will have to tread carefully as the Crown Prince is embroiled in a tense diplomatic row over the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
But bin Salman will not be put off in his bid to take control at Old Trafford, although the Glazers are likely to want a solution to his personal problems before entering in to any sort of dialogue.
The Glazer family, who bought United in 2005, will bank a massive profit of £2.2bn if a deal is done.
Their £790m purchase was heavily leveraged in debt – a factor that has never made them popular with the Old Trafford fans.
Despite denials that they are prepared to sell, the fact that United’s share price has rocketed over the past months tells a different story in the financial world.
At one stage, the shares hit an all-time high on the New York Stock Exchange of $27.65. They are now trading at $21.20.
Forbes recently valued United at £3.2bn, but the Crown Prince is ready to add £800m to that figure in an attempt to gain control of Old Trafford.