( CNN ) -- It turns out that the military regime in Myanmar is soccer-crazy and even pondered buying world-famous club Manchester United , according to a U.S. diplomatic cable obtained by WikiLeaks and published by the Guardian newspaper in Britain . The suggestion to buy United apparently came from the grandson of Than Shwe -- the highest-ranking figure in Myanmar 's junta . `` One well-connected source reports that the grandson wanted Than Shwe to offer $ 1 billion for Manchester United '' says the cable , which was written in June 2009 . Turns out Than Shwe is a United fan . Myanmar was at the time recovering from the effects of a devastating typhoon , and Than Shwe decided not to press the idea . The cost of buying the club would have been similar to U.N. estimates of the funds needed to recover from the typhoon . `` The Senior General thought that sort of expenditure could look bad , so he opted to create for Burma a league of its own , '' the cable said . ( Myanmar is also known as Burma , especially in the West . ) And so was created the Myanmar National Football League . Owners were chosen for the eight professional teams and told to pay players ' salaries and build stadia . The cable says one team spends $ 155,000 a month on players ' wages and that several players from Africa and Argentina were recruited to the league . The embassy 's contact was asked why owners would spend so much money in building teams . `` When the Senior General asks someone to do something , you do it with no complaints , '' he said , according to the cable . He added that several owners would receive incentives from the regime , such as construction contracts , new gem and jade mines , and import permits . The same cable says it `` has been a huge success , with high attendance and wide national TV and radio coverage . '' The embassy 's contacts said the creation of the football league `` may be a way for the regime to distract the people from ongoing political and economic problems . '' As for Than Shwe 's grandson , his dream of sitting in the directors ' box at Old Trafford , the stadium where Manchester United plays , may have been dashed . But in an astute political move , a business tycoon named Zaw Zaw made an important signing for his club , Delta United . `` Contacts confirm that Zaw Zaw hired Senior General Than Shwe 's grandson to play on the team , '' reads a separate cable .
General 's grandson suggested he buy Manchester United , cable says . General , who is a football fan , thought $ 1 billion purchase would be bad . He bought a football club in Myanmar .