Liverpool and FSG will be watching Manchester United closely as it approaches a potential takeover, with the Glazers eager to sell the Old Trafford club
The simultaneous sale of Liverpool and Manchester United was one of the season’s key themes. FSG was then discovered to be looking for minority investment, despite the Glazers’ continued presence at Old Trafford months later.
This week, though, there have been some developments. Numerous parties are still in the running to take over Manchester United, according to the BBC, but TalkSport says that Sheikh Jassim and the Qatari bid are ‘growing in confidence’ that they can win the battle. Reuters reports that Qatar has been granted exclusivity ahead of a $6 billion purchase.
It may make a big effect when a club switches hands. Manchester United, on the other hand, is one of the biggest and could have a considerable impact on how the club is run and how much money it has to spend in the transfer market. The Reds will be keeping a close eye on their rivals and another team hoping to fight for titles at the top of the Premier League again shortly.
Here are three things that will ‘definitely’ happen to Liverpool if the Glazers sell Manchester United to the Qatari bid, with more to come (albeit the majority of these would also apply if INEOS billionaire Jim Ratcliffe took over).
Liverpool is facing heightened transfer rivalry.
In recent years, Liverpool has rarely had to compete with Manchester United in the transfer market, though Mason Mount may be an exception, and the Old Trafford club has just finished ahead of the Reds.
Liverpool’s recruitment strategy is complicated, data-driven, and backed up with exceptional scouting. Manchester United has a massive scouting organization that appears to be underutilized, as well as a transfer policy that alternates between unproven prospects, big names, and pet manager favorites.
Sir Alex Ferguson was the glue that held Manchester United together, and his exit has left an unfilled gap. He represented the end of an era in which managers made all of the decisions – football has progressed, but the Glazers have not. Erik ten Hag has made a great start, but with new owners, things could take a very different course.
Football architecture is an unusual mix of past and present, with half-baked changes coexisting with structures that are no longer functional. The only true scenario in which it is likely to change is a change in ownership.
New business owners who are not limited by outmoded beliefs are almost certain to spend heavily in their data department. Newcastle United is an example of a big-money buyout in the twenty-first century, a vast cry from Manchester City’s purchase.
Given its current condition, Manchester United would quickly become a transfer rival if it could sort out its recruitment – especially if its return to the Champions League can be extended. Barcelona’s continued recruitment of sought-after talent illustrates this.
Liverpool has long mastered the art of outmaneuvering bigger spenders in the market, so they would be unconcerned, but it is something to think about.
The FSG’s credibility has been put into question.
The Premier League soccer owner community is small. Some clubs are luckier than others, but the bottom line applies to all owners. Other teams would surely pay note if Manchester United was sold for an excessive fee.
With FSG’s investment on the table, fans will be even more eager to see more money arrive at Anfield in order to compete with the sides above. Newcastle, Chelsea, Manchester City, and even Manchester United are currently difficult to challenge. Manchester United under Qatari ownership may be far more difficult to manage.
The 58-year wait is about to come to an end.
For the past 58 years, no player has moved directly between Manchester United and Liverpool. On that occasion, Phil Chisnall switched Old Trafford for Anfield, unaware that it would be the only such transaction for the next half-century and counting.
New ownership, on the other hand, brings with it uncertainty. Nothing is set in stone anymore, even the unwritten rule that appears to limit business between the two teams.
Boehly is once again informative. He has ripped up the rulebook at Chelsea by engaging in all manner of intra-big-six trading. None of this is on the same scale as bridging the gap between Liverpool and Manchester United, but it could be a sign of things to come. Not long ago, Chelsea’s opponents would have thought Mount or Levi Colwill were legitimate targets.
It’s tough to imagine any Liverpool players leaving, so the question quickly becomes whether FSG is interested in any Manchester United players.
There are few competitors, but one name stands out: Jadon Sancho’s talent has thus far been wasted. Despite the new contract agreed this summer, Liverpool will need to find a successor for Mohamed Salah shortly, and no one would rule out a revival under Jürgen Klopp.
Football is evolving, and Liverpool and FSG must evolve with it.
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