NFL link could help seal fate of Manchester United's new ownership bid

Could the NFL be the final link to the Manchester United sale? The English soccer club will eventually be sold, as the Glazers family who own it have already begun that process. Right now, the bids they're receiving are about one billion pounds shy of what they want.

Many potential owners don't want to buy the whole club, rather just a portion of the ownership.

Sheik Jassim, who has offered five billion pounds, could have a negotiating advantage over the other potential suitors.

He, unlike other bidders, could host football games in Qatar and the Glazers, who also own the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, could be interested in that even if the price isn't quite right.

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Why the NFL could be important to Manchester United's sale

Football is a growing sport. While it's still mostly an American sport, they have been expanding and are learning that there is an international audience for the sport.

A source close to the negotiations said via Football Transfers:

"Part of his proposal has been that the Glazers could bring their NFL team to Qatar for an exhibition game in the national stadium in Doha. This would help cement Qatar's stature as a destination for sporting spectacles and offer the Glazers a chance to spread their brand and cash in."

Qatar hosted the World Cup and while it was a controversial venue, the location and the stadium itself proved capable of pulling that off.

Therefore, NFL games won't be an issue.

Additionally, the league is always looking to expand its borders. They've branched out to Mexico City, Germany, England and other places already, so the Middle East might be interesting to them.

Germany hosted the league

NFL executive vice-president Peter O'Reilly said:

"Growing the league and our sport internationally is a major strategic priority for the [league], and we are excited to again be playing five games outside of the US in 2023."

Might that include a trip to the Middle East? The sale might not happen for a while and the league may end up having nothing to do with it. A suitor may come along and outbid Jassim and this could all be moot, but the possibilities are certainly intriguing.