BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Leeds United | Sheikh to mount Leeds bid
A member of Bahrain's ruling dynasty has confirmed he is still keen to try and rescue stricken Leeds United.
Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa has remained silent since he was first linked with a possible takeover bid, raising questions that he had dropped out of the running.
But the sheikh has now declared he is ready to set up a rival consortium to that of former Leeds deputy chairman Allan Leighton.
Leighton is believed to be assembling a group which includes Philip Green, the entrepreneur who owns British Home Stores and the Arcadia Group.
The Sheikh's consortium is believed to include two Saudi Arabian businessmen and a company based in Asia.
Any group has until 19 January to mount a takeover for Leeds, who have debts of around £80m.
That is the date set by the club's creditors, who will otherwise force the club into administration.
Both groups have approached Leeds' major creditors to extend the deadline and buy more time to raise funds.
Sheikh Abdulrahman claims to have spent the last two weeks in London, talking with prospective financial partners.
He said: "I have been doing my best to put a bid together.
"There are signs of hope. The more talks I have, the more optimistic I become about a solution."
The sheikh said he has "a passionate desire to re-awaken a sleeping giant."
English-educated Sheikh Abdulrahman said: "I fell in love with the club when I was 11 years old when Leeds played Chelsea in the 1970 FA Cup final.
"It was fated that I should love the club. Whether that fate will determine that I can save them 30 years later, I don't know.
"Leeds mean everything to me, I was born to support them.
"Those who are closest to me, my friends and my family, know what Leeds United mean to me."
A member of Bahrain's ruling dynasty has confirmed he is still keen to try and rescue stricken Leeds United.
Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mubarak Al-Khalifa has remained silent since he was first linked with a possible takeover bid, raising questions that he had dropped out of the running.
But the sheikh has now declared he is ready to set up a rival consortium to that of former Leeds deputy chairman Allan Leighton.
Leighton is believed to be assembling a group which includes Philip Green, the entrepreneur who owns British Home Stores and the Arcadia Group.
The Sheikh's consortium is believed to include two Saudi Arabian businessmen and a company based in Asia.
Any group has until 19 January to mount a takeover for Leeds, who have debts of around £80m.
That is the date set by the club's creditors, who will otherwise force the club into administration.
Both groups have approached Leeds' major creditors to extend the deadline and buy more time to raise funds.
Sheikh Abdulrahman claims to have spent the last two weeks in London, talking with prospective financial partners.
He said: "I have been doing my best to put a bid together.
"There are signs of hope. The more talks I have, the more optimistic I become about a solution."
The sheikh said he has "a passionate desire to re-awaken a sleeping giant."
English-educated Sheikh Abdulrahman said: "I fell in love with the club when I was 11 years old when Leeds played Chelsea in the 1970 FA Cup final.
"It was fated that I should love the club. Whether that fate will determine that I can save them 30 years later, I don't know.
"Leeds mean everything to me, I was born to support them.
"Those who are closest to me, my friends and my family, know what Leeds United mean to me."
