Mystery Middle Eastern investors survey Leeds United
The mystery over the possible new owners of Championship club Leeds United continued yesterday with the presence of Middle Eastern businessmen in owner Ken Bates’ Elland Road hospitality box.
The controversial owner, who had flown in from Monaco for the first game of the season against Wolves, entertained what is thought to be members of the unnamed consortium that has been engaged in a summer of negotiations over the £40 million purchase of his 72 per cent stake in the club.
Rumours on Twitter and fan message boards suggested one of the gentleman, pictured in sunglasses and carrying a Leeds scarf during and after the game, was Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, a member of Qatar’s ruling family and the Secretary General of Qatar Olympic Committee.
The Eid holiday, which began in the Gulf this morning, has made confirmation all but impossible, although it is unlikely such a high profile figure would make himself so visible. But is an interesting new twist to the protracted takeover saga.
It still thought that Bahrain’s Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, apparently a life-long Leeds United fan, has been driving the bid, but only as the head of a consortium of regional investors with the actual financial means to both meet Ken Bates asking price and help improve Leeds United’s squad.
The emergence of a partner from Qatar, the one Gulf economy that continues to boom and with a demonstrable interest in European sport via Paris St Germain and their partnership with Barcelona, certainly makes sense.
Although the club’s supporters trust declared the deal had “collapsed” last week, reporters for the Yorkshire Evening Post,the local paper in Leeds, are now saying that a takeover is only a matter of finalising a few legal details, and could be completed this week.
Ken Bates told the official Leeds United website last night that negotiations are merely "underway". "We signed an exclusivity agreement to give them time to do due diligence, and we're continuing negotiations," he said.
"We're also bound by confidentiality, so we can't say anything, and in the absence of being able to say anything rumours abound."
Leeds made an encouraging start to the new season as eight debutants contributed to a battling 1-0 win over Wolves, who were relegated from the Premier League last season.