Turki Al-Sheikh’s net worth compared with Sir Jim Ratcliffe after takeover claim | Football | Sport

Turki Al-Sheikh reportedly possesses a net worth that pales in comparison to that of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The billionaire Saudi sports chief recently sent a cryptic message about a potential takeover bid. Manchester United currently find themselves in a situation where the Glazers can offload their entire shareholding in the club due to their ‘drag along’ rights being triggered.

This represents standard business practice as it stops majority shareholders from being trapped by minority stakeholder demands. Despite the Glazers possessing the authority to sell from beneath Ratcliffe, there had been minimal discussion of this occurring until Wednesday evening.

In an unexpected social media post, Saudi entrepreneur Al-Sheikh hinted that the club might shortly be controlled by fresh investors.

“The best news I heard today is that Manchester United is now in an advanced stage of completing a deal to sell to a new investor,” he posted. “I hope he’s better than the previous owners.”

Al-Sheikh will be familiar to boxing fans, having orchestrated several super fights including Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford.

He established the Riyadh Season, which comprises a collection of entertainment, cultural and sporting events designed to promote Saudi Arabia.

He has also succeeded in drawing investment from WWE, with the professional wrestling giant hosting several Premium Live Events (PLEs or PPVs) in the country.

In addition to combat sports, Al-Sheikh has ventured into football, having acquired Spanish club Almeria in 2019.

Last year, CEO Today reported that his net worth is estimated to be around $2.8bn (£2.08bn). To put this into context, Forbes estimates that Ratcliffe is currently worth an astounding $17.2bn (£12.8bn).

As for the Glazers, they are believed to have a combined net worth valued at $10bn (£7.46bn), according to Forbes.

While he did not suggest that he is the individual looking to purchase United, it’s likely that Al-Sheikh wouldn’t be able to even if he wanted to.

Clearly, his financial assets do not come close to those of the current owners of the club. His best option would be to form part of a consortium, but there is no suggestion that he has any firm interest in owning the Reds.