Former Manchester United midfielder David Beckham has stated that he is not actively involved in Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani's bid to take over the Red Devils.
Sheikh Jassim and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe have been locked in a two-horse race to buy the club from the unpopular Glazer family, who announced last year that they were open to a sale.
Given his desire to complete an immediate full takeover, Sheikh Jassim has been viewed as the favourite to assume office at Old Trafford, but multiple rounds of bidding have failed to yield a positive solution.
The Glazers are believed to be holding out for a staggering £6bn to relinquish control of the club, although Sheikh Jassim has so far shown no indication that he will increase his most recent £5bn offer, while Ratcliffe is only after a minority stake with a view to a full takeover in the future.
Having been a staunch promoter of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it was recently claimed that Beckham could potentially return to Man United in an ambassadorial role if Sheikh Jassim's takeover is successful.
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The Inter Miami co-owner was recently quizzed on the takeover process at the Qatar Grand Prix, telling Sky Sports News: "We'll see" when asked if Sheikh Jassim was the right man to take charge.
However, speaking in a separate interview with CNBC, Beckham - who retired at Qatari Sports Investment-owned Paris Saint-Germain in 2013 - affirmed that there had been "no discussion" over his possible involvement in the process.
"At the moment there has been no discussion. I have had a long-standing relationship with Qatar, because of my involvement with PSG. Obviously there will be some connection and people put two and two together," the 48-year-old said.
"There will be a takeover, it is the right time. We all have our opinions on who should take over, but in my opinion it is about who cares about the club the most and will take the club back to where it should be.
"Everybody knows I am a Manchester United fan and I have been very vocal about the situation that is happening. I grew up there from a young age with a lot of stability with the same manager and the same owners.
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"Manchester United will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world. We need to get back to that for the fans, the players, the manager because at the moment, there is no stability. We need to get the talk back on the field, not off it.
"I want to see an ownership group who will take the club back to what it should be. I am not saying the past owners have done a bad job but it is the right time for someone else to take over."
During a distinguished playing career at Old Trafford, Beckham registered 85 goals and 120 assists in 394 matches for the Red Devils, winning six Premier League titles in addition to one Champions League crown.
However, a recent report from Bloomberg claims that Ratcliffe's minority investment proposal is now the preferred option for the Glazers, who would retain full control of the club in the event that the 70-year-old acquires a stake of 25%.
Amid the prolonged takeover uncertainty, Man United have made an underwhelming start to the 2023-24 season, sitting 10th in the Premier League table with four wins and four defeats from their opening eight matches.
Ben Knapton
