Europe’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, has turned down an opportunity to buy Portsmouth FC. An intermediary acting for the club is believed to have approached representatives of System Capital Management, the holding company that controls Akhmetov’s other businesses, with a prospectus, but was shown the door. Akhmetov, who made his fortune in mining and metallurgical businesses, has been the president of Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk since 1996.
Europe’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, has turned down an opportunity to buy Portsmouth FC. An intermediary acting for the club is believed to have approached representatives of System Capital Management, the holding company that controls Akhmetov’s other businesses, with a prospectus, but was shown the door. Akhmetov, who made his fortune in mining and metallurgical businesses, has been the president of Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk since 1996. Portsmouth last received £5m in compensation from Spurs for manager Harry Redknapp, who confirmed that the club’s finances were ‘a little bit tight.’ However, executive chairman Peter Storrie has repeatedly dismissed reports of a financial crisis. ‘We’ve said all we’re going to say about finances,’ he said last week. ‘It’s getting boring now. It’s a boring, boring subject. The club is fine, move on. The owner continues to put money into the club.’
Last month Richard Caborn, the former sports minister, called on the Barclays Premier League to ‘rigorously examine’ any new allegations about the finances of owner Alexandre Gaydamak. Gaydamak is worth £100m according to the Sunday Times rich list. His father attracted some controversy after he moved from France to Israel after magistrates in Paris issued a warrant for his arrest over an arms deal. Gaydamak is believed to want around £40m for the club should he sell. However, debts believed to total around £50m have put off many buyers. There have been recent talks with a South African consortium which may be the same one that expressed interest in Newcastle. However, they have also been looking at Fulham and Charlton as better value buys.