The Middle East's ownership of major football clubs and its impact on the game

Middle Eastern ownership has become prevalent among the best European football teams.

The astronomical investment from these owners has led to some of these clubs becoming the dominant teams in their country.

Qatari Shiekh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani has officially bid for a 100% stake in Manchester United, according to cnn.com.

In a statement made by Al Thani, he said, "The bid plans to return the club to its former glories both on and off the pitch." The news of his bid comes after the Glazer Family (Manchester United's current owners) expressed their willingness to sell the club at the right price.

Liverpool's Fenway Sports Group ownership was another group interested in selling the club to a potential Middle Eastern-backed bid this year.

According to The Independent, Liverpool's owner, John Henry, has said the club is not for sale and is more likely to try and add a minority investor.

Let's look through some of the biggest clubs in Europe that have received Middle Eastern investment in recent years.

Sheikh Mansour, an Emirati politician and a member of the Saudi Arabia royal family, purchased Manchester City in 2008.

The billions of dollars he has invested in the club have paid off, becoming the most dominant team in England, winning 16 major trophies since he arrived, including six Premier Leagues.

The most recent Middle Eastern-backed club is Newcastle United, owned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the funds of the Public Investment Funds.

Since taking over when they were in the relegation zone last season, Newcastle is now challenging for Champions League spots, sitting fourth in the Premier League, and find themselves in their first major cup final since the end of the 20^th century.

Malaga CF is owned by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Abdullah Al Ahmed Al Thani, a member of the Qatari royal family, who purchased the club in 2010.

After reaching the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League in 2013, the club has gone downhill under Qatari ownership, being relegated to Spain's second tier in 2018 and still struggling to get promoted.

French giants Paris Saint Germain have been owned by Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, since 2011 through the Qatari Sports Investment.

PSG is the only state-owned club in football, making them the seventh most valuable club in the world ($3.2b), according to Forbes. Their financial backing is shown on the pitch, possessing the most expensive front line in history, with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Lionel Messi.

Aston Villa is owned by the NSWE group, an Egyptian company owned by the Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris, who took over the club whilst they were playing in the Championship (England's second tier).

After taking over the majority share in 2018, the new financial backers successfully guided Aston Villa back to the Premier League in 2019 and consolidated them in the middle of the table.