Sheffield Wednesday have officially revealed their preferred bidder as they move closer to a potential takeover.
The Owls have been in administration since October, when controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri was eventually removed from the club.
Wednesday’s takeover position has recently improved, with a number of possible buyers expressing interest in the club.
However, the South Yorkshire outfit’s on-field condition has remained extremely difficult, as they remain rooted at the bottom of the Championship table with minus-nine points following another deduction at the beginning of December.
Mike Ashley has been designated as the preferred bidder as a new points deduction is approaching.
Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley made a £20 million proposal to buy Sheffield Wednesday at the end of November, positioning himself as a top candidate to take over the faltering club.
The 61-year-old has been competing for exclusivity with an American consortium led by John McEvoy and the Storch family, and he has finally secured the right to negotiate a deal with the club.
According to journalist Arif Ahmed via his X account, McEvoy’s consortium was unable to raise a non-refundable deposit to purchase the club, hence Ashley will be deemed the preferred bidder.
However, the ex-Newcastle manager’s proposal falls short of McEvoy’s £30 million, and as a result, Sheffield Wednesday will be penalized 15 points by the EFL at the start of next season.
Mike Ashley will be under intense scrutiny at Sheffield Wednesday.
Ashley was a despised figure among Newcastle fans during his 14-year rule, with fans frequently criticising him for his lack of investment in the club.
During his tenure as manager, the Magpies faithful soon formed a negative opinion of him, which does not bode well for Sheffield Wednesday.
The Championship outfit cannot be picky about who buys the club and leads it out of administration, but there will definitely be some fear among supporters that, under Ashley, their condition will not improve significantly.
He will face intense scrutiny from the wider footballing world as his time at St James’ Park comes to an end, and Wednesday will undoubtedly hope that he has learned from his prior blunders.
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