Sheikh Jassim partner drops ‘confidential’ hint as Man Utd negotiations ramp up

The creation of Nine Two Holdings as a registered company in the UK has seen Abdulrahman Abdulla Al Ansari’s name pop up as a director alongside Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and there appears to be some secrecy about what his exact role is. Sheikh Jassim is bidding for 100 per cent of Manchester United and reports this week have suggested the Qatari deal is favoured by the Glazers.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe remains hopeful with his bid, which is for 60 per cent of the club while allowing Avram and Joel Glazer to remain at United in a smaller capacity. But Sheikh Jassim appears to be the new frontrunner as its been suggested United are in talks to place the Qatari group in an exclusivity period to thrash out a deal once and for all.

The news came just a few hours after Sheikh Jassim’s Nine Two Holdings company was registered in the UK. Many took that as another sign that Sheikh Jassim was edging closer to becoming United’s next owner.

But it was Al Ansari’s inclusion on the document published on the Companies House website that caught the attention of many. The 31-year-old is listed as a director alongside Sheikh Jassim, suggesting he’ll have as big a part to play in proceedings at United if the Qatari deal proves successful.

However, what Al Ansari’s actual role is appears to be anonymous, judging by his LinkedIn page. He was previously a senior manager for a Qatar-based company called Milaha, which he left in May 2023.

Al Ansari then started a new position that same month, but it’s listed as ‘confidential’. That was a few months after the Nine Two Foundation was set up by Sheikh Jassim.