The talk around Manchester United’s ownership has fired up again but this time, it’s not about the Glazers or Sir Jim Ratcliffe. It’s about a footballer so rich, he could buy the whole club without even blinking.
His name? Faiq Bolkiah, the man known as the world’s richest footballer.
The Billionaire Player You’ve Never Heard Of
Faiq Bolkiah might not be a Premier League star, but his story is one of the most surprising in football. The 27-year-old is the nephew of the Sultan of Brunei, and his family’s fortune is estimated at £15 billion. Yes, that’s a billion with a B.
Even with all that money behind him, Bolkiah has always wanted to make it on his own as a professional player. He trained at Southampton and Chelsea’s youth academies, before joining Leicester City. However, he never made a first-team appearance for the Foxes.
In 2020, he finally signed his first pro deal with Maritimo in Portugal, before moving to Thailand, where he now plays for Ratchaburi FC in Thai League 1.
A Fortune Big Enough To Buy Old Trafford
To put his wealth into perspective, the Glazers are reportedly holding out for around £5.2 billion if they ever sell Manchester United. For Bolkiah, that’s a small change. He could, in theory, buy the entire club and still have billions left in the bank.
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There’s no suggestion he plans to do it, but it’s wild to think one footballer could personally afford the world’s biggest football club.
Recently, talk about United’s sale kicked up again after Saudi billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh posted online that the club was “in advanced talks” with a new investor. The post sent fans into a frenzy, until Al-Sheikh later clarified that he wasn’t the buyer.
The Glazers Still Hold Power, For Now
The Glazer family have owned Manchester United since 2005, when they bought it for £790 million. In 2023, Sir Jim Ratcliffe joined as a minority owner, and his stake has now grown to almost 29%.
Even so, the Glazers remain the main decision-makers, though Ratcliffe has made it clear he wants more control. He even said in an interview that if they told him to sack Ruben Amorim, he’d refuse.
United might be worth billions off the pitch, but on it, things haven’t looked so bright. The Red Devils are 10th in the Premier League, struggling under Amorim’s first full season in charge. Ratcliffe has promised to give him three years to prove himself, but the pressure is already on.
While fans dream of fresh investment or even new ownership, the truth is that the Glazers are unlikely to walk away easily. Still, names like Faiq Bolkiah show just how many billionaires are out there who could change the game overnight, if they wanted to.
And if one day the richest footballer on Earth ever decides to buy a club, Manchester United would be right at the top of that list.
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