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Articles on football club takeovers and related issues
The growing Chinese presence in English football has been strengthened by the acquistion of Wolves by Chinese conglomerate Fosun heded by Guo Guangchang. The group has leisure and entertainment interests around the world.
Torquay United fans are still in the dark about the club’s future after its annual general meeting. The takeover deal with Swindon-based Gaming International seems to be stuck in the sand. Moreover, the cash strapped club may have to pay back a £50,000 loan if the deal falls through.
Relegated Dagenham & Redbridge are hardly the most glamorous club in London, but there is a three way tussle to acquire the club.
A Cheshire-based consortium that has taken over Bangor City has big plans for the North Wales club, They plan to pump in at least £100,000 a year as they seek to end the domination of the Welsh Premier Leage by The New Sants. The real attraction is perhaps not the WPL title, but the chance of Champions League football.
Greek shipping magnate Evangelos Mariankis has been linked with taking a majority stake in Nottingham Forest for some time now. Some reports suggest that a deal to acquire a 80 per cent holding may be imminent.
Mariankis is the owner of the Piraeus based team Olympiakos. They have been crowned champions for six consecutive years, this year by a record 28 points.
A Hong Kong-based businessman, Paul Suen, is poised to buy a majority stake in Birmingham City. He intends to buy at least 60 per cent of the club through his company, Trillion Trophy Asia. This appears to be an investment vehicle set up for the occasion.
Mr Suen is an active investor in small listed companies in Hong Kong.
The sale, expected to be completed before the end of September, values the Blues at £37m. It would end the seven year tenure of Carson Yeung, the Hong Kong businessman and convicted money launderer.
Chinese appliance retailer Suning Commerce Group has agreed to pay €270m for a 70 per cent stake in Inter Milan. The retailer is already active in domestic Chinese football.
Ex-owner , Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir, remains as president with a reduced stake of 31 per cent. The club is thus entirely in foreign hands for the first time.
The takeover of Swansea City by an American investment group was completed yesterday. The consortium is fronted by Jason Levein and Steve Kaplan, who have extensive experience in American sports.
With Hull City having gained access to the riches of the Premier League, speculation has intensified about a takeover. The club has been for sale since 2014 when the owner failed to get the club’s name changed, but it is now a more attractive prospect. Some reports say that talks have been in progress since early this month.
Steve Bruce has said that he will need assurances from the owners if he is to stay as manager.
Bradford City has been bought by a German consortium in an unexpected development, although apparently negotiations have been going on for a year, League One clubs with potential are attracting increasing interest from foreign buyers.
It is believed that the price paid was around £6m which is a relative bargain for a club with Championship potential.
Co-owners Mark Lawn and Julian Rhodes are stepping aside as part of the deal.