December 29 – Real Madrid has denied that Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour (pictured) made a €1 billion (£902 million) offer to buy the Spanish club.
Madrid said on its website today that the “so-called interest and the existence of any offer to acquire Real Madrid are false.”
A Spanish newspaper had claimed on Sunday that Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the brother of the ruler of Abu Dhabi, had made the offer to President Florentino Perez and that discussions would take place next week.
The statement said: ”Real Madrid wishes to inform that Real Madrid President Mr Florentino Pérez has had a great friendship for many years with His Highness, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“And that the so-called interest and the existence of any offer to acquire Real Madrid are false.
“His Highness has always shown tremendous respect for the club and understands that Real Madrid belongs to its members.”
Madrid is one of four clubs in the Spanish league that is owned by its members and not by a private entity.
The others are Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna.
Sheikh Mansour is also president of Abu Dhabi’s Al Jazira Club, which has had a twinning agreement with Madrid since 2005.