Arab group claims Man City deal

[Darkon]

I hope to **** this is true. I have to say, the only way I can now see us going forward is if DIC/Sheikh Mohamed take control. It will be a great day if/when they take over.

Most definitly, and it has to happen fairly soon.

There is no doubt that the pressure to stay in the top-4 will increase this year, and even more in the next few seasons. Investments in other clubs are big, and we need to have a sound economy to stay where we are, and even improve our position.

[Shaggy]

2020: "This is a groundbreaking moment. I'm relieved as I've been concerned as to the direction of the club over the last 12 months. There is a real chance for the club to move forward as these are major players as these are quality people with a huge amount of money. Many boards have fallen foul in the chase of Man Utd. This is mega finance, maybe in a year we could be top five and chasing Champions League places."

Former Man City chairman David Bernstein on BBC Radio 5 Live

[Assassin]

2023: "There are deals we're chasing and bids we've put in, I don't know how many will come to a successful resolution. It's always difficult on the last day of the window. As for Berbatov, I'd like the chance to speak to him, but I haven't been afforded that opportunity yet. We're in there trying, though."
Man City manager Mark Hughes on BBC Radio 5 Live

[Bender]

Shankslegend has been wrong consistenly on the takeover and DIC thread

I believe Coop knows more on the DIC front than anyone else on the forums

fair enough ...but what has shankslegend got to gain by saying this if it wasn't true

[Rashid]

Dubai are always there in the background and still want in without a doubt. There is a fella on TLW (Andy) who is close to the Dubai mob through SOS and he confirmed the same today...

They will get us in the end but not for the £600m that Hicks wants.

Anyway over to you Mr Rashid..... (from the Guardian)

Since the country's creation in 1971 - a move driven by Sheikh Khalifa's father, the revered late Sheikh Zayed - Dubai and Abu Dhabi have competed against each other for the world's affections, a rivalry that has gone into overdrive since the turn of the century.

When Dubai built its own seven-star hotel, the Burj Al Arab, Abu Dhabi responded with its own, the Emirates Palace. When Dubai embarked on huge, glamorous construction projects that stole headlines across the world, Abu Dhabi followed suit with plans to build a Guggenheim and a Louvre.

Even sporting events have witnessed this economic one-upmanship, with Abu Dhabi setting up a rival to Dubai's PGA tour golf event and tennis tournament. From the outside, it appeared that Abu Dhabi resented the success of its glamorous neighbour. Dubai's royal family had been so successful in branding the emirate that many assumed that it, and not Abu Dhabi, was the capital of the UAE.

So when DIC, itself an investment arm of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's sovereign fund, tried and failed to buy a Premier League club, Abu Dhabi just had to keep up with the Joneses. Well, the Maktoums.

[Vermilion]

I hope and pray this is true. I am not very religious but I truly do hope that DIC are still in for us. This has been an terrible two years in the stewardship of LFC. These two Americans have no idea what they were taking on.

I don't think to slag off all Americans (Yanks) etc is fair to the rest of the country. Don't get me wrong - these two have right royally shafted us good and proper...

But I still firmly believe that David Moores has a hell of a lot to answer to for allowing this to get to this stage. He must really be as sick to the core that he his responsible for this fiasco of extreme proportions...

To have hindsight that if he had gone with DIC in the first place then things would be completely different to how things are today... We'd certainly have the higher cablibre of player that Rafa wants on board.

Ahhh oh well. Could be worse for all of us had we supported that other team in this super City.

R4E


p.s if anyone has any info on DIC (Lecter??)

p.p.s who is the guy in the know on here (as in who should I look out for??)

p.p.p.s Were we totally **** yesterday or was it just me?? (Masch left out as he was all over the place doing the best he could - IMO).

Meffin.

[Rashid]

PS Has Shanks Legend ever been right? I have emailed David Bond who is close to Amanda Staveley to see what he knows.

[Shaggy]

Could the fact the Abu Dhabi chaps have stolen a march on their Dubai counterparts work in our favour? I mean insofar as the Al-Maktoums pulling their fingers out and making sure they seize control of LFC? Or am I just clutching at straws?

[Hass]

What I can see is DIC not wanting to be left behind whilst their neighbours (Abu Dhabi) start building up Man City. There's quite a bit of healthy rivalry between the 2 cities. You only have to look at some of the start ups Emirates Airlines and then the Government of Abu Dhabi starting up Etihad, the same can be said with sports, Dubai has the world's most expensive horse race, Abu Dhabi will have F1 next year. They both have ambitious tourism plans with some of the most impressive buildings being erected.

I can't see Dubai, DIC or the Sheikh wanting to be left behind.

[Shaggy]

Could the fact the Abu Dhabi chaps have stolen a march on their Dubai counterparts work in our favour? I mean insofar as the Al-Maktoums pulling their fingers out and making sure they seize control of LFC? Or am I just clutching at straws?

What I can see is DIC not wanting to be left behind whilst their neighbours (Abu Dhabi) start building up Man City. There's quite a bit of healthy rivalry between the 2 cities. You only have to look at some of the start ups Emirates Airlines and then the Government of Abu Dhabi starting up Etihad, the same can be said with sports, Dubai has the world's most expensive horse race, Abu Dhabi will have F1 next year. They both have ambitious tourism plans with some of the most impressive buildings being erected.

I can't see Dubai, DIC or the Sheikh wanting to be left behind.

[Hass]

Could the fact the Abu Dhabi chaps have stolen a march on their Dubai counterparts work in our favour? I mean insofar as the Al-Maktoums pulling their fingers out and making sure they seize control of LFC? Or am I just clutching at straws?

Bang on Shaggy, just posted something similar whilst you posted the above. There's a lot of rivalry between the Gulf States/Princes.

One buys a Gulf Stream personal jet, the other buys a 747.

It's all who's got the best of everything. 2nd place is not good enough for any of them.

[Tatterdemalion]

It seems they were offered a chance to buy us too.

Its in this link a few seconds into the conversation

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7591926.stm

What does the guy say about Liverpool?

I'm not being funny, I just can't understand him.

[luke]

is it the swf of abu dhabi that has got man city or just a consortium based in abu dhabi?

[Rashid]

He said Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle, and Liverpool are clubs that have been offered to prestigious companines in UAE and he went after Man City as he loves a challenge.

[Phoenix07]

Does anyone post on RAWK?

If so, PM me ASAP