Well, I’m certainly not going to say “I told you so” and I’m not counting my chickens, but I’m highly encouraged by what I’m reading.
Which is that Villa, or more specifically Tony Xia, is in talks with a Middle eastern outfit.
The good news is that these are supposedly advanced talks, that have discussed various levels of investment, with a view to a total takeover, as a second stage.
I just knew there was something going on behind the scenes, as if the club is so desperate that we wouldn’t be able to pay a tax bill (due tomorrow, I believe), then Xia would have been selling players at any price.
Although the taxman will try to accomodate a company as best he can, he won’t accept many excuses.
But being in the middle of a sale is definitely one of them.
Of course, with Villa’s recent run of luck, there’s still plenty of scope for something to go wrong.
But as I’ve said previously, I still like to think that Xia does have the club’s interests at heart.
It’s all about honour with the Chinese, isn’t it? (no bad thing).
And yes, he’s looking after his own interests too, but he (or his backers) have put serious money in, at the end of the day.
So, it’s still a case of fingers crossed, but it seems a deal could be done quite quickly.
God, let’s hope this happens.
Which then leads to us asking who has invested?
Knowing our luck, it’ll probably be an Iranian outfit, which would just cap it all.
No, perish the thought.
My money’s on a Quatari outfit.
Fits with the next WC and all that.
And whew, they’re minted.
Here’s hoping.
UTV!
Comments
41 responses to “Possible Middle East takeover? Interesting”
Repeat after me;
Please let it be so, please let it be so………..
The part that doesn’t make sense, is that Xia arrived here Saturday and went back Tuesday(?).
Has the deal already been done, or is Xia negotiating in China or the Middle east country?
Or is it all just a total rubbish story, yet again?
Please let it be so; please let it be so…….
Badger, I was just thinking I should post an alternative and positive (or is that blindly clutching at straws) thoughts when your new post came up.
It is along the lines you articulate – if Xia’s back is so hard up against the wall why is he playing (or at least on the face of it he is) hard ball withStoke / Spurs et al.
With the boot on the other hand (deliberate mixed metaphors!) are we just clutching at straws or will Xia pull the veritable (financial) rabbit from the hat enabling us to keep Grealish, Chester and Kodjia – I say bo***cks to FFP.
Well there you go – cliches, mixed mataphors and unreal optimism – must buy more of that wine I’ve been drinking tonight – heady stuff!
I like it Hitch 🙂
Still plenty of room for it to go wrong, but I can smell this in my water (ahem).
Heady and optimistic.
I’ll take it, after the weeks of crap we’ve had.
I really don’t know and would appreciate a valid view. If a night in shining white armour rides to our financial rescue. Can we keep Jack Grealish?
Sid; I reckon the short answer is yes. And, by all accounts, he is prepared to stay at least for another season.
My opinion also says yes; of course we can!
Grealish will only be sold if whoever owns him says he will.
I’m of the firm belief that this won’t happen, as if Xia sells Grealish, it’ll be the only thing he’ll be remembered for.
And I’m sure he doesn’t want that, as much as we don’t.
I really believe if we can keep Jack Grealish we can still go places. Could this team gain promotion.
Steer
Elphick. Chester
Huttton. Bjarnason. Elmohady
Adomah. Hourihane. Lansbury Green
Grealish
Kodjia
Subs:
Bree
Suliman
Hepburn- Murphy
Callum O’Hare
Whelan
Davis
Hogan
Kodjia only to play if he bocomes a team player otherwise Davis, then Hogan.
Sorry just realised 12 in team, should beat most. Drop Lansbury.
Personally, think we’re still 3 players short of a solid promotion push. Think the above squad would see is comfortably safe, but we’re still short of at least one CB and CM, and would even add another winger to replace Snoddy. Even if Green starts to light the world on fire, I’ve not been impressed with Adomah since Christmas.
That team might be good enough.
But it’s the back-up that looks light, imo.
For me, Kodjia plays every game, if he’s scoring.
new hope this is what kills you. i cant say i know anything about it just read off here. so i just hopes it true. cause drx is gonna run us into the gound
even if we are sold we still need to reduce running costs no owner is gonna buy us to lose money like this. what new ownership will do thou, is send out signals to wannabe big clubs like spuds. that if you wanna take our best players, you wont get them for peanuts. dig deeper into your piggy bank you bastards or fook off.
i personally would sell the big earners and build the new team around grealish. but if they can somehow avoid selling anybody i think this team would be there abouts, but we cant avoid that, chester will almost certainly go kodjia aswell iceman adomah these are the players i would sell.
nice change this news i was almost getting used to bad news
I pretty much agree with all your sentiments there Nath – the one difficulty appears to be getting rid of the useless big earners who nobody else wants and are happy to rip financial chunks out of the club. Even the better players will be reluctant to leave for lower wages – catch 22 of our own making.
I did note a change in the angle of some media comments on FFP now talking about other ways to meet the rules without selling players – such as innovative sponsorship deals and increased land valuations from commercial planning consents – strange how the media conveniently overlooked these constructive aspects up to now!
I think if they are brave enough to buy us in this state and see the bigger picture (fanbase & premiership potential) they will be savvy enough to get around FFP. I also cant see them buying us if we have conducted a fire sale. So it may go as one of the following:
a) new investment, keep existing players and add to squad for premiership push.
b) as soon as investment announced players sold to balance books and try and get club on sound financial footing.
I work in the M.E. and cannot see the people that I have met want to come in and balance books, but I can see them burning loads of cash to put a smile on their face.
In this present state I don’t give a damn if they rename Villa Park and throw a load of cash in…. As long as it has it has f*** all to do with Recon.
Well it looks like Bruce has been busy 5 signing ok they might have had their day Huth, Ashley Barns its just came up on the web, 5 minutes ago.under Villa news.no news yet on take over still early days and as they say no news is good news.utv.
I’ll put my neck on the block now. If Steer is the #1 keeper – because he is the best on the books – then the only way Villa will be close to leaving the Championship is via the trapdoor.
Moving on to “Summer Sale now on” I am sure no possible player sale could take place while the club itself is under the hammer. Because they are all assets of the company to be valued by the buyer under due diligence.
Tottenham must know something to make a move now, it seem it was a waiting game to drive down the fee,
Tottenham in talks with Aston Villa over Jack Grealish and the deal is expected to be completed next week.
Tottenham are set to snap up attacking midfielder Grealish to compete with Dele Alli.
Talented Grealish,22, is ready to quit his boyhood team for a return to the Premier League.
Canny Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had been stalling to drive the price down as Chinese-owned Villa are in a financial crisis after failing to go up.
But MirrorSport understands the clubs are now in dialogue and a deal is set to be thrashed out in the next seven days.
It is unlikely to be finalised in time for Spurs to get Grealish on board for the start of their US tour.
Bill I cant see us letting him go at the moment, if all the takeover news is correct. And it will be very interesting once it is all concluded to see if we are selling or adding to our playing staff !!
It’s close to getting the news Saddened, apparently they are Egyptians, God am I relieved, no I don’t want him to go he will be a villa icon in time. I hope they keep him.
fingers crossed – I think the next 7 days could get very interesting and I hope interesting in a positive way 🙂
there is a statement about the investment on the villa website but i can’t load it as site keeps crashing
Nasef Sawari is the buyer, owner of NNS group. Taking a controlling stake and injecting funds. I hope this is a significant number. Already got EFL approval.
Fingers crossed. Now tell Levy to off off
Sorry that was eff off!!!
He is worth about $8 billion
Dr Tony Xia and Aston Villa Football Club (“the Club”) announce that NSWE, a company that is jointly owned and controlled by businessman Nassef Sawiris’ group NNS and businessman Wes Edens, will immediately inject significant investment capital into the Club. At the same time, Dr Tony Xia will become Co-Chairman and remain on the board.
The capital injection and transaction have been approved by the EFL and the parties will work through all confirmatory approvals required by the EFL as soon as possible.
The Club’s management remain focused on strengthening the squad and are fully aligned with the new investors who are supportive of their ambitions.
Dr Tony Xia and the Club are energised and excited about their interactions with Nassef and Wes and their teams and are confident that as strategic partners they bring exceptional business, sport and leisure expertise that will enhance the Club’s future prospects. The parties look forward to working in partnership to drive Aston Villa forward to success.
Dr Tony Xia commented: “I am extremely pleased to have formed a strategic partnership with Nassef and Wes. We have a common goal of delivering future success for Aston Villa and I look forward to working together to achieve this aim.
“To have come so close to achieving promotion last season was a humbling experience. In finding such strong partners as Nassef and Wes we’re gearing up to fight again and bring back the success that this Club deserves and we all so want to provide it with.
“The future is exciting on a number of fronts and I look forward to exploring further business collaborations.”
Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens commented: “As lifelong football fans, we are excited and privileged to have become part of this great Club. We believe that together we bring business and sports experience that will help strengthen the Club to ensure Aston Villa can return to its rightful place in the upper echelons of English football.
“Our goal is to bring sustainable success to the Club, building on its rich history while respecting its loyal fan base and unique culture. We understand that we are stewards of Aston Villa on behalf of the fans and we take that responsibility seriously.
“We look forward to working with Dr Tony to undertake a thorough assessment and evaluation of the Club in the coming weeks and our priority is to strengthen the squads and structures ahead of the upcoming season and beyond.”
I know most of us think Tony has run is into the ground, and he has – at a gamble, but let’s be honest, it very damn near paid off too. On paper we had the personnel to win the league or at the very least come close to… He’ll have learned a thing or two from the last 2 years and let’s hope that those lessons can be used wisely combined with a renewed set of resources to go about another push for promotion.
This is good news all round – the last thing we want is another ‘never owned a football club before – but have lots of naive enthusiasm’ type investor, running the club on his own.
If all this is true Grealish won’t be going on the cheap anymore.
£40 million. Over to you Levy
I would like to opoligise for thinking Xia was a robbing git, its the best bit of news we’ve have over the last 25 years , hats 🎓off🎩 to Dr Tony and please get us back where we belong, at the top of the premiership.
I must to admit I have misjudged Dr Xia. He always said there was a plan B. He risked it all on promotion, including the very existence of the Villa and came up short. Therefore, like a magician who pulls a rabbit from a hat, he attracts to Villa very wealthy individuals and experience in running sports clubs.
Truly I am amazed.
Does this mean that Mr Sawiris could have his company sponsor Villa for £££, enough to remove FFP and keep Grealish and Chester?
It doesn’t get much better than today’s news. The club is now financially secure and now has the resources to make a push for promotion if the new owners desire.
I only thing I find interesting in the statement is that twice it was said that the club intends to strengthen the squad – what this means for FFP, etc. I don’t know but I’m sure the next few weeks will be interesting.
As for Grealish, if he does leave I now feel like it will be because he wants International football as opposed to being forced out by the club.
Marvin, I believe that means to balance the books for FFP this year we still have to sell – but that buys us time to invest and get into the Premiership for next year, where we’d need to balance the books again. Either that, or we take it easy with investment this year and do it smartly, or find a way to increase revenue so that we can invest heavily again over the next 12 months (i.e. from sponsorship, renaming rights – you name it). All it took as others have said, is someone with pockets deep enough to structure the finances in a way that they personally take the risk of FFP, not the club.
We could take the fine, two other clubs did and won, as far as I understand it was FIFA that made the rule first the FA said it wasn’t fair and change it, Is now become a burden and club are going broke ove the rule.it needs to be challenged because we have had that very same problem , how is it the big six get away with big payments and high wages. Or am I talking Tommy rot? Please enlighten me.
No I don’t think you are Bill. According to reports FFP rules can be challenged legally. There also appears to be a wide range of financial ‘tricks that can be used.
The big positive I see in our new investors (owners?) Is that they are both business savvy and I’m sure they have already looked at their FFP options.
Noticed Sawiris has controlling stake – that could make for some interesting cross ownership sponsorship funding…
in Adidas****
Just think that in every Bluenose Adidas shirt bought they are contributing to saving our Great Club………. Cheers guys. UTV
We just need confirmation that Jack will not be sold and tell Levy the price has trebled so he can do one.
Great news today could not have have asked for better news so hopefully we can all move on in a positive way.