adminBillionaire eyes Championship club after £175m deal amid Derby County investment search
Billionaire John Textor wants to buy a club in the Championship after selling his stake in Crystal Palace for £175m.
Textor has sold his 43 per cent stake in the Eagles to fellow American Woody Johnson, a former US ambassador to the UK and also owner of NFL team the New York Jets.
Textor has parted company with Palace to ensure they can play in the Europa League next season after UEFA claimed his ownership of Lyon might scupper qualification.
Now Textor is reported to be looking to buy a club in the second tier with the capacity to be transformed while also keeping his eye on potential Premier League deals.
It is claimed Textor wants another English club as part of his Eagle Football group portfolio, which includes Brazilian team Botafogo
Textor, who made his fortune with ventures in technology, media and entertainment, also owns Belgian second-tier side Daring Brussels, who have changed their name from RWD Molenbeek.
The rumour mill has not wasted any time grinding out speculation on Textor’s next club amid links to Sheffield Wednesday.
According to the Sheffield Star, Textor, who is worth £3.4bn according to Forbes, is considering a move for the Owls.
A number of Championship clubs are seeking investment and it emerged last month that clubs are also courting Saudi Arabian cash.
Turki Alalshikh has a number of business interests and has transformed the sport of boxing by putting on a host of incredible shows in the Middle East.
He has also revived Ring Magazine and has become the most powerful person in the sport.
He is yet to invest in English football but there are clubs that are hoping to catch his eye.
Derby are also seeking investment with David Clowes prepared to sell up to 80 per cent of his shares.
They are being assisted in their search by Jonathan Price whose firm Union Rights management has access to private investors across multiple markets and specialises in sales advice for sports business owners.
Price helped Clowes complete his Derby takeover in June 2022 and is working in an advisory capacity.
Derby should be an attractive proposition to investors given their history. They are one of the 12 founding members of the Football League, have been the champions of England on two occasions, are FA Cup winners and attract gates of more than 30,000.
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