News Alerts
Headlines
Only two Premier League clubs refuse to sell to foreigners, so far
England - 21 September, 2007
Adjust font size:
Since 2003, the Premier League had nine of its 20 clubs sold to new investors, and if the latest takeovers happen, that would make it 18 out of 20 clubs in the last five years taken over by foreign investors.
Only Dave Whelan, owner of English Wigan and Steve Gibson, owner of English Middlesbrough, refuse to sell.
Since the Premier League signed a GBP 2.7 billion television contract, English clubs have been a target for rich foreign investors.
Roman Abramovich spent GBP 500 million to buy English Chelsea and to invest in new players to build it into Premier League champions. Analysts now say that was a clever move because of the increase in value of the English clubs.
The value of Manchester United has probably increased since the Glazers bought it for GBP 800 million, particularly if the rumour that a Chinese consortium is interested in the club at a price of GBP 1 billion.
Traditional owners know they can't compete with the wealthier chairmen buying into the English game.
"I'll listen to sensible offers but from billionaires only. Millionaires need not apply," said John Madejski, chairman of Reading.
After Liverpool was sold to Tom Hicks and George Gillett earlier this year, it left Arsenal as the only one of the Premier League's big four not taken over.
Arsenal's board said it will not sell to Uzbek mining tycoon Alisher Usmanov, who had help from Arsenal's former vice-chairman David Dein. At one time the club refused to sell to American Stan Kroenke but has recently said it will meet with Kroenke next month in London.
Usmanov paid GBP 40 million for 6.5 percent interest in the club, which gives him a total of 21 percent and makes him the second biggest shareholder behind director Danny Fiszman.
Fiszman and the board signed a pact not to sell before next April, but with the club being valued at approximately GBP 600-700 million it will probably be a matter of time before it follow the others.
If Usmanov can not obtain Arsenal he may start looking at Tottenham.
Bahamas based billionaire Joe Lewis backs ENIC, Tottenham's owner. It bought Sir Alan Sugar's, who was former vice chairman of the club, 14 percent share. Along with the smaller shareholdings it bought, the group now owns 82 percent of the club.
The stadium is the sticking point for Tottenham. Since plans to revitalize the grounds have stalled, the club is looking to find land that it could develop on.
Chairman Daniel Levy wants about GBP 400 million for Tottenham, although its real value is probably closer to GBP 250 million. That price does not include the estimated GBP 250 million investment for a new stadium.
Fulham owner, Mohamed Fayed, the first foreign businessman to buy a Premier League club, is said to be talking with a potential bidder about a GBP 120 million deal. The negotiations are being handled by Keith Harris, head of investment bank Seymour Pierce.
Harris also brokered the sale of Aston Villa, Manchester City and West Ham.
Hong Kong businessman, Carson Yeung, told the Birmingham City board that he will go ahead with plans to takeover the club. He has already bought 29.9 percent for GBP15 million and is expected to submit a full offer soon.
While Harris is handling the Birmingham acquisition for Yeung, he is also looking for buyers or new investors for Bolton, Derby County and Reading.
Blackburn has talked with American businessman Dan Williams about a GBP 45 million takeover, although those talks have stalled recently, and Everton is also looking for a buyer.
Many think the new owners will demand extensive changes to the Premier League's rules, such as getting rid of relegation.
"The new owners, especially the Americans, cannot understand the high wages and lack of cost controls," said Professor Stefan Szymanski, an economist who specialises in the business of sport.
"But all that is fuelled by the threat of going down and the easy way to eliminate that is to eliminate relegation and make it a closed league."
Only Dave Whelan, owner of English Wigan and Steve Gibson, owner of English Middlesbrough, refuse to sell.
Since the Premier League signed a GBP 2.7 billion television contract, English clubs have been a target for rich foreign investors.
Roman Abramovich spent GBP 500 million to buy English Chelsea and to invest in new players to build it into Premier League champions. Analysts now say that was a clever move because of the increase in value of the English clubs.
The value of Manchester United has probably increased since the Glazers bought it for GBP 800 million, particularly if the rumour that a Chinese consortium is interested in the club at a price of GBP 1 billion.
Traditional owners know they can't compete with the wealthier chairmen buying into the English game.
"I'll listen to sensible offers but from billionaires only. Millionaires need not apply," said John Madejski, chairman of Reading.
After Liverpool was sold to Tom Hicks and George Gillett earlier this year, it left Arsenal as the only one of the Premier League's big four not taken over.
Arsenal's board said it will not sell to Uzbek mining tycoon Alisher Usmanov, who had help from Arsenal's former vice-chairman David Dein. At one time the club refused to sell to American Stan Kroenke but has recently said it will meet with Kroenke next month in London.
Usmanov paid GBP 40 million for 6.5 percent interest in the club, which gives him a total of 21 percent and makes him the second biggest shareholder behind director Danny Fiszman.
Fiszman and the board signed a pact not to sell before next April, but with the club being valued at approximately GBP 600-700 million it will probably be a matter of time before it follow the others.
If Usmanov can not obtain Arsenal he may start looking at Tottenham.
Bahamas based billionaire Joe Lewis backs ENIC, Tottenham's owner. It bought Sir Alan Sugar's, who was former vice chairman of the club, 14 percent share. Along with the smaller shareholdings it bought, the group now owns 82 percent of the club.
The stadium is the sticking point for Tottenham. Since plans to revitalize the grounds have stalled, the club is looking to find land that it could develop on.
Chairman Daniel Levy wants about GBP 400 million for Tottenham, although its real value is probably closer to GBP 250 million. That price does not include the estimated GBP 250 million investment for a new stadium.
Fulham owner, Mohamed Fayed, the first foreign businessman to buy a Premier League club, is said to be talking with a potential bidder about a GBP 120 million deal. The negotiations are being handled by Keith Harris, head of investment bank Seymour Pierce.
Harris also brokered the sale of Aston Villa, Manchester City and West Ham.
Hong Kong businessman, Carson Yeung, told the Birmingham City board that he will go ahead with plans to takeover the club. He has already bought 29.9 percent for GBP15 million and is expected to submit a full offer soon.
While Harris is handling the Birmingham acquisition for Yeung, he is also looking for buyers or new investors for Bolton, Derby County and Reading.
Blackburn has talked with American businessman Dan Williams about a GBP 45 million takeover, although those talks have stalled recently, and Everton is also looking for a buyer.
Many think the new owners will demand extensive changes to the Premier League's rules, such as getting rid of relegation.
"The new owners, especially the Americans, cannot understand the high wages and lack of cost controls," said Professor Stefan Szymanski, an economist who specialises in the business of sport.
"But all that is fuelled by the threat of going down and the easy way to eliminate that is to eliminate relegation and make it a closed league."
Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 -
All rights reserved.
© Copyright message
The copying, republication, redistribution or web posting (including by framing or similar means) of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of euFootball.BIZ
-
Finance
Television
Sponsorship
Marketing
Technology
Competitions
Clubs
Stadia-Facilities
Legal
Administration