Revealed: Man Utd bidder Sheikh Jassim is 'quiet and guarded', smokes during meetings and wants Red Devils as a 'trophy asset' as he closes in on £5.5bn takeover

Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani, the frontrunner to buy Manchester United, has been described as a private and reserved individual who is little known in business circles in Qatar and the Middle East, according to a report in The Athletic.

The Sheikh, the son of the former Qatari Prime Minister, is also likely to be receiving backing from the state for his £5.5 billion takeover bid for the Red Devils as he only earned approximately £1.5 million from his role as board member of Credit Suisse, which he served on for six years and appears to be one of his most prominent roles.