‘I’ve heard from my sources’ – Middle-East and US investors locked in Tottenham ‘duel’
Daniel Levy may have been blocking potential investment into Tottenham or a complete takeover during his final months in charge.
Last week (4 September), Levy stepped down from his position as executive chairman after 24 years in the role.
However, it later came out that the 63-year-old was effectively sacked by Spurs’ majority owners, the Lewis family, who wanted a change in the leadership structure.
There have been rumours of a potential takeover at Tottenham for some time, and Levy’s exit has just added more fuel to the fire.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the businessman may have been blocking takeover attempts before he was given the boot.
Tottenham have investors vying to get control
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that there is no smoke without fire, and that he has heard rumours of a duel between two separate groups vying to gain control of the North London side.
Tottenham have made it clear the club will not be sold, but that has done little to quell the talk of a potential takeover.
Wyness added that someone may be coming in at Spurs with an offer that can’t be refused.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “You’ve got to look at every single word in these statements because I think there is something going on.
“I know they even appointed Rothschild as advisors about bringing investment in, about doing sales. I have heard very good rumours from sources of a duel between a Gulf group and an American group very recently, vying to get control. Numbers that are eye-watering in terms of the offers, and there is no smoke without fire.
“There’s certainly been something going on. Is this a negotiating tactic from the Lewis family? We just don’t know. I’ve heard rumours that Daniel had been blocking some of the investment coming in.
“Could there just be a minority investment situation coming in that could then lead to somebody having the rights to buy it later on?
“So in all these things, while they say there’s no sale being discussed, it doesn’t mean to say they’re not looking at bringing in partners or investment or that they may have an offer that they can’t refuse.”
Tottenham explore alternative way to offload Yves Bissouma
Meanwhile, Tottenham are willing to let midfielder Yves Bissouma leave the club on loan in order to get him out the door, sources have told Football Insider.
Bissouma could move to the Turkish SuperLig or Saudi Pro League, as both countries’ transfer windows remain open.
Sources say that Spurs want to sell the Mali international permanently, but that his high wages will make it difficult to get a deal over the line in time.
The deadline in Turkey is 12 September, with the Saudi window closing around two weeks later, meaning that a loan arrangement is looking increasingly likely.
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