Come on in and join the club! Get our daily Manchester United email newsletter Sign me up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman who has been linked with a takeover of Newcastle United is still focused on buying Manchester United .

Around 18 months ago he was prepared to pay around £3.5billion for the Old Trafford club only for United's owners, the Glazers, to insist they were not open to offers.

A sale to the Middle East based Prince would have meant them making a huge profit after purchasing United for £790 million in May 2005.

But they stood firm and now Bin Salman’s name has been at the forefront of a consortium bid led by business woman and financier Amanda Staveley to become the new owners of Newcastle United.

Current owner Mike Ashley who wants £340million to relinquish control of the club has still to receive a firm offer and is said to be sceptical of the latest speculation.

It’s why he was prepared to finance a £35million bid for Lille’s highly rated midfielder Boubakary Soumare – one which was accepted by the club only for the player to reject the move to the North East.

(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Ashley insists that a non returnable bond of £250,000 is paid to him before any due diligence on the club takes place from an interested party.

So far that has not been forthcoming from the Saudi Arabian Investment Fund who will be backing any offer from Bin Salman and his partners.

(Image: EMPICS Sport)

A source close to Ashley told the Sunday Mirror: “Mike is getting fed up of hearing or reading about proposed interest from different parties in the media.

“It’s why until he actually sees the colour of somebody’s money he remains highly sceptical about whether there is genuine interest in purchasing Newcastle United.”

It’s understood that Bin Salman does want to be involved in the Premier League as part of his involvement in world sport but still prefers it to be with Manchester United.