[M]Al-Shabanah tweeted that[/M] United had held a meeting with Saudi’s sovereign wealth fund “to discuss sponsorship opportunity" but [M]no deal materialised[/M].
Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman has denied reports that he intends to buy Manchester United.
The crown prince was said to be launching a £3.8billion offer to take control of the Premier League club, according to weekend reports.
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But the kingdom’s media minister, Turki al-Shabanah, wrote on Twitter: “Reports claiming that HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman intends on buying @ManUtd are completely false.
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“Manchester United held a meeting with @PIFSaudi to discuss sponsorship opportunity. No deal has been materialized.”
United’s American owners, the Glazer family, bought the club for £790million almost 14 years ago.
Press Association Sport reported in October that United’s owners have no intention of selling any stake in the club.
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United already have business interests with Saudi Arabia, with Saudi Telecom the club’s official integrated telecommunications partner.
The club also signed a memorandum of understanding with the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia last year to help develop football industry in the country.
The crown prince has shown a big appetite for bringing sporting events to his country over the past couple of years, including motor sport and boxing, while Brazil and Argentina played a football international in Riyadh last October.