Billionaire 'offers clarity' after reported Sheffield Wednesday takeover interest

An African billionaire has sought to distance himself from reports claiming he was weighing up a bid to buy Sheffield Wednesday. The Sun carried a story over the weekend that said 67-year-old real estate businessman Anis Sefrioui - reportedly worth in the region of US$1.7 billion - would be interested in buying the club if a fee could be agreed with Dejphon Chansiri.

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But on Monday sources close to Sefrioui offered clarity to a handful of media outlets across Europe and in Morocco that was not the case, with Moroccan-Dutch website marokko.nl reporting: “According to the billionaire, there have been no talks, no negotiations and not even any intention to invest in the club — either directly or through others.”

The report came amid raised speculation over the future of the club. Chansiri confirmed to The Star towards the end of last month that the club were within days of incurring a three-window EFL registration embargo for breaching a ‘30-day rule’ that punishes a 12-month tally of an accrued 30 days of late payments on HMRC bills and player wages. March payments owed to senior players were satisfied hours before the club overstepped the deadline on that ruling - on April 7.

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In a lengthy statement released the following weekend, Chansiri said in part: “I do not have the intention to sell, I love this club. But if today, tomorrow or another day in the future, if there is someone out there better, more suitable and has the potential to take care of our club, I am ready to pave the way for Sheffield Wednesday to move forward from a stronger position.”

A fan-led Information Memorandum has been drawn up in efforts to attract potential investors, prompted by Chansiri’s exclamations at a January fan forum that encouraged supporters to find a buyer for the club. It’s understood Sefrioui was not one of the investors the group are said to have spoken to.

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