Man Utd's prospective Qatari bidders DON'T believe UK Government will intervene

Those behind the Qatar-based bid for Manchester United do not believe they will face any government opposition should they succeed in the battle for the Premier League giants.

A report surfaced earlier on Tuesday which claimed that government officials had privately flagged concerns over the prospect of Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani taking ownership of the club.

Those reservations were said to relate to previous regulatory failings at the UK branch of the Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), of which Sheikh Jassim has been chairman since 2006.

And the report, from Bloomberg, added that ‘senior officials working on football governance’ may put pressure on the Premier League to ask questions should the bid be the one chosen by the Glazer family.

However, Sportsmail understands that those involved in the bid have no concerns over such a scenario.

They feel that they have support from the government and would not face any obstacles should they emerge successful from the ongoing bidding process, which is being carried out by US merchant bankers Raine Group.

The fine in question, of £1.4m, was imposed in 2016 for a violation of capital requirements which left the firm exposed to high levels of risk. However, it related to a breach which occurred in 2011, more than a decade ago.

The QIB is also not the vehicle which Sheikh Jassim is using to bid for United. Instead, he has set up the Nine Two Foundation and claims to be acting as a private individual.

Senior government figures have privately said they would actually welcome Qatar-based investment, despite opposition from LGBTQ+ and human rights groups – especially if it included community funding, which has previously been outlined.

Post-Brexit, the UK has brokered investment deals with Qatari wealth funds worth tens of billions and talks have been held with a view to Qatari outfits providing gas in the years to come.

Last May, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed a partnership which he said would see Qatar invest up to £10bn over the next five years in sectors of the UK economy.

Those involved in the bidding process, which include Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are yet to hear back from Raine after delayed second bids went in last month.

They are hopeful that they will do so before Easter. Raine may choose one to enter into a period of exclusivity with or order another round of bids.

They may also decide to take an offer of investment for a partial stake in the club, which would allow them to redevelop or rebuild Old Trafford and upgrade the club’s training ground while retaining control.