What Sheffield United boss said about takeover talk after would-be owner Dozy Mmobuosi 'named'
Paul Heckingbottom insists he has "no clue" as to the identity of Sheffield United's prospective new owner, after newspaper reports this morning suggested he is an "African billionaire" close to assuming control of the promotion hopefuls.
Takeover talk has been swirling around Bramall Lane for some time after Prince Abdullah accepted an offer for his shares in the club. The takeover then progressed to the EFL stage, to ensure the prospective new owner meets the satisfies the league's fit and proper requirements.
The Times reported today that the takeover is edging closer to completion, and that the African businessman - later named in the national media as Dozy Mmobuosi – is paying around £90m for the club. United remain under a transfer embargo but are understood to have a plan in place to pay the outstanding balance to clubs for transfer instalments - with the Times reporting that Liverpool are one club owed money over the sale of Rhian Brewster.
United declined to publicly comment on the story and Heckingbottom, speaking this afternoon ahead of this weekend's South Yorkshire derby at Rotherham United which he hopes will see his side go 15 points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough, said: "Yeah, I've seen the same [story].
"It's not for me to talk about and I don't know anything, I'm not fobbing it off. There's nothing I can add. I don't know anything or who they are."
Asked if he had met any of the prospective investors, Heckingbottom replied: "No. I haven't got a clue who he is or she is.
"I haven't got a clue and I don't want to know. If people thought I should be involved in it, I would. My focus is the players and the staff here and trying to get results."
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told The Star earlier this year that United were a very attractive proposition for anyone wanting to buy a football club; with the fact that the Blades own their own stadium, and Sheffield’s reputation as a football city, making United an inviting prospect for would-be owners.
“Buying a club without a stadium or vice versa can cause issues but whoever this mysterious party is, is getting the whole package [with United],” Maguire, the author of the Price of Football book and a lecturer at Liverpool University, said.
“The stadium issues have been resolved at Bramall Lane, the club is in a very strong position in terms of going up and again that’ll be reflected in the price. Bournemouth sold for £120-130million in the Premier League.
“United have a big fan base and Sheffield is a big city, it’s a football city as well. That’s no disrespect to Bournemouth or my club Brighton, but we’re not a football city. We’ve got a great football club but we’re not a football city.
“And that doesn’t mean the fans are any less passionate at those clubs, but Sheffield United can point to that history and that heritage and sense of community. And I think that’s very attractive to a prospective owner because you’re buying into that noise you get with a club like Sheffield United.”