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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. ABACA/PA Images

Saudi Prince distanced from €4.3bn takeover attempt at Manchester United

Talk of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman readying a big-money offer to claim power at Old Trafford has been played down.

PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN Salman’s rumoured interest in buying Manchester United is false according to a denial issued by one of his ministers in Saudi Arabia.

A report by The Sun claimed Bin Salman was readying a £3.8 billion (€4.3bn) bid – a deal that would give the Glazer family a huge £2.2bn (€2.5bn) profit on the club they controversially acquired for £790 million (€901 million) in 2005.

With the Glazers having struggled to win over the support of fans throughout their time in charge of United, takeover speculation has surfaced at regular intervals.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the latest to have been linked with an effort to wrestle power from the current American ownership in Manchester.

A tweet from Turki Al-Shabanah, the minister for Saudi media, has admitted to a meeting taking place between United representatives and the Gulf state’s royal investment fund, but only to discuss a potential sponsorship tie-up.

“The news that Prince Mohammed bin Salman desires to acquire Manchester United is completely untrue news,” Al-Shabanah’s tweet read.

“The fact of the matter is that the club held a meeting with the public investment fund to discuss an advertisement sponsorship project.

“The Fund listened to the proposals as [it would] any other”.

In October 2017, United agreed a strategic partnership in Saudi Arabia with the country’s General Sports Authority (GSA).

United also have a commercial partnership with Saudi Telecom and, at the time of the GSA deal, United’s group managing director Richard Arnold said,”the club has a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia and has over five million passionate fans in the region.

“Having the chance to help shape the football industry in the Kingdom is a great honour and it is something where we believe we can make a big difference.”

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    Mute Declan Snow
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:04 PM

    Surely he shouldn’t be admitting this?

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:32 PM

    @Declan Snow: 100% should receive a one match ban. For doing it and even more for being so open and proud of it.

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    Mute kev egan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:05 PM

    Why would you come out and admit doing this…!!

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    Mute Dan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:16 PM

    1 1 in Germany with 5 mins to go and every Liverpool player should go down holding their leg.

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    Mute Gary O'Rourke
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:23 AM

    @Dan: no point doing that when it’s 3-1 to Bayern you gimp

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    Mute Johnno Byrne
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:08 PM

    Did he also reveal that water is wet? Cue the outrage. Even though every team does it

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:38 PM

    Iv said it before if a players goes down and match has to be stopped, they should have to go off for a minimum period of time say 3 minutes. See how quickly all this would stop.

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    Mute Ted Logan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 5:15 PM

    @Cormac Flanagan: and what about genuine cases? Want the oppositions star striker off for 3 minutes? “Accidentally stand on his toes at a corner….

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:58 PM

    @Ted Logan: if it’s genuine then he will require time for treatment anyway. Or be substituted. And if the star striker gets targeted it’s up to the ref/VAR to sort it out.

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    Mute Peter Govan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:40 PM

    Football players fake injury , shocker

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    Mute Michael
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:21 PM

    That game was like playing fifa being a goal up at the end and just passing about killing time at the same time pissing off the other player

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:20 PM

    Ramos is still a (unt though right?

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    Mute Brian Les
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:34 PM

    Good thing Bielsa didn’t say this. 200k find incoming

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    Mute Tricksy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:05 PM

    Well , there’s a surprise . He won’t have any bad feelings so if Liverpool are ahead and develop a lot of cramp ! How does these guys become managers ? A silly admittance . Half time ….. hope next game is better than the anfield one .

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:19 PM

    Kick em out of the competition

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    Mute James Clancy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:41 PM

    @Hardly Normal: Harsh.

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:00 PM

    @James Clancy: I know ya but still

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    Mute Noel Lillis
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:30 PM

    This is worse than Beckham gettin the yellow card

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