Premier League - Paper Round: Qatari royals to buy United
The Glazer family is set to sell
Manchester United to the Qatari royal family in a £1.5 billion deal, according to Wednesday's newspapers.
The Sun quotes a United director confirming that "at some time, the family will sell" - enough for the paper's "sources in the City" to become "convinced" the Americans are about to force through a sale that would see the Glazers almost double the £790 million they paid five and a half years ago.
The city source claims that the recent move to pay off £252m of debt was the first move in the negotiations with Qatar Holdings, the business arm of the Qatari royal family headed by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
"They have already brought in extra finance from a third party in a bid to set the club up for a sale," the source believes.
The paper also quotes a Middle East "football finance expert" who is convinced that the time is right for the Qatari purchase.
"They have made tentative moves before with little success, but this time it looks like they could be going for it," the source claimed.
"Now they have landed the 2022
World Cup, the country wants to expand its influence in the game across the globe."
It's a while since
Jamie Carragher earned a back page headline all to himself, but the
Liverpool defender takes centre stage in the Daily Mail and Daily Star amid reports that he is being lined up as a future
England manager.
Thirty-two-year-old Carragher's playing career may still be going on, but both papers report that Carragher has been identified as an inspirational leader for the nation's footballing future. The FA are reportedly to fast-track him into a coaching role with 16-year-olds and upwards - and have acted early "for fear of losing him to TV once his playing career ends".
Despite the disappointment of the loss to
Everton on Monday,
Manchester City's plans for Premier League domination look to be carrying on unabated.
The Daily Mirror and The Times both report that the club's owners are to lay out the cash to revive City's title challenge, with an astonishing £50m to be spent in the January transfer window. Their targets are a pair of forwards - Porto's Hulk and Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko - and Barcelona defender Dani Alves.
Two City players could be on their way out of Eastlands, however: the Daily Mail claims that
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is to try to lure Adam Johnson to the Stadium of Light on a loan deal, and also wants to make his current loan of
Nedum Onuoha permanent in January for £6m.
Nicolas Anelka's brother and agent Claude - remember him? - has claimed the striker could move to the United States when his Chelsea contract expires in 2012.
The Sun reports that
David Beckham's chances of a new winter loan deal to Europe are looking grim, with his LA Galaxy club having told the global media icon that they would like him to play football for them, starting with pre-season training in January.
Fulham boss
Mark Hughes is reported to be the latest manager to try to get something out of
Stephen Ireland, who though wildly talented has had a career blighted by run-ins with managers and club officials.
And finally,
Mario Balotelli has some interesting news for the world of football this morning: he is the second best player in the world.
"There is only one player who is a little stronger than me: Messi. All the others are behind me," said the volatile Italian on accepting the 'Golden Boy' award from an Italian newspaper for the world's best young player.
No doubt
Cristiano Ronaldo won't be too happy to see him should they ever be stuck in a lift. But then again Balotelli admitted that he'd never even heard of the runner-up for the award, Arsenal's Jack Wilshere.
"I don't know him but the next time I play Arsenal, I will watch out for him," said Balotelli. "Maybe I will show him the Golden Boy and remind him I have won it!"
Eurosport