Tottenham "could be set for the kind of investment that has transformed Paris Saint-Germain into a European giant" if it is taken over by the Qatari government, according to Tyrone Marshall of the London DAILY MIRROR. The Arab nation is said "to be lining up" a £1B ($1.6B) takeover at White Hart Lane. Qatari Sports Minister Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali "claimed that the Arab nation is keen to snap up a Premier League club as their next sporting investment." Any takeover "would include throwing the kind of money at the club that has seen PSG rise from struggling underachievers to French champions for the past two seasons and an emerging force on the European scene" (DAILY MIRROR, 12/17). The AP's Leicester & Harris reported never in sporting history "has a country invested so massively, quickly, broadly, internationally and ostentatiously as the small oil-and-gas rich Gulf emirate." Qatar's grab on sport "is not only for prestige, recognition, vanity and to drill new wells of revenue for when oil and gas run dry." It "also sees sport as a way of motivating Qataris who, thanks to the riches underground, are the world's second-wealthiest people per capita but, in obesity and diabetes, have the health problems of comfortable living." Al-Ali: "You want to create a challenge for them. Some countries they create, really, political challenges -- you know -- to make a focus for the people (or they) create another enemy" (AP, 12/16). ESPN reported Paris St. Germain has "enjoyed great success since Qatar Sports Investments" completed a buyout of the club in '12 and invested millions into the squad. Al-Ali suggested that "the state's aim would be to replicate that kind of success with an English club." He said, "Here in Qatar, we are very, very good in taking something and really transforming it into something very, very good. We take it to another step. Even if it's good, we take it to another step. ... I don't think we are going to stop. We are just going to continue looking for good opportunities. Of course, England, the emir was there, and of course it's one of our best hubs for Qataris." Despite al-Ali's comments, UEFA regulations "would appear to prohibit the state taking a second club into the Champions League" (ESPN, 12/17).
