Man City owner Sheikh Mansour gets over rotten season with £23million purchase in latest side quest
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MANCHESTER CITY owner Sheikh Mansour has announced his first purchase of the January window - but it's not football related. The Abu Dhabi royal has apparently distracted himself from Man City's rotten season, after Pep Guardiola admitted that the champions were out of the title race in November.
![[Sheikh Mansour has purchased the historic Normandy farm from the Niarchos family]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/PA-74052584jpg-JS861014763.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Vice president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, wouldn’t usually be associated with European horse racing. But that is all about to change after the tycoon completed a £23.2million deal for one of Europe's most historic stud farms, through his Al Wathba Stud company.
![[The Manchester City owner could be about to get into European horse-racing]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GettyImages-490920877jpg-JS473091791.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
The sheikh purchased the Haras De Fresnay Le Buffard farm in Normandy, France last month, according to The Mail. The 600-acre property includes a 16-room chateau, two large secondary residences, 200 horse stalls and a training track. The estatefeatures extensive equestrian facilities, including a foaling barn, a covering/breeding shed and a training track.
![[Haras de Fresnay-le Buffard has a 16-room chateau and over 600 acres]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/msemail_1677105719-_-20230223-Unejpg-JS962419360.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
On December 31, his lawyer Edouard Vitry confirmed the transaction, according to Ouest-France. There are no horses currently in training under Sheikh Mansour's name in the UK but that could be about to change. BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS.
![[The Man City owner completed a £23.2million deal for one of Europe’s most historic stud farms]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/msemail_Haras_de_Fresnay_le_BuffardJPG-JS962419364.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
His latest acquisition comes at a time when Man City is grappling with a challenging season. The Cityzens, who have won four Premier League titles on the trot, have endured a horror run of form, which saw the club win just one game in 10 across November and December.
