Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has given his reaction to the news that Sunderland have come under a renewed takeover bid.
The lowdown: Takeover bid made
According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, British businessman William Storey has offered to buy a controlling share in the club.
Having previously tried to take control at the Stadium of Light before the arrival of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, Storey has seemingly returned with a fresh attempt to take over the Black Cats.
However, Louis-Dreyfus is reportedly unwilling to leave his post despite what one knowledgeable onlooker thinks would be a smart financial decision…
The latest: ‘Very good price’
Speaking to Football Insider, Maguire – a regular contributor for Sky Sports – has claimed that the reported £42m offer represents a ‘generous’ bid given Sunderland’s current status.
The finnace expert said of the ongoing situation: “If they are in League One, that is a very good price because they’d be paying almost four times revenue.
“Given that we value clubs in the Premier League at around 1.75 to two times revenue, excluding the big six, I think that’s fairly generous. In the Championship, clubs are generally worth 1.3 times revenue.
“They will probably get to £30m in revenue if they are promoted, so again it would be a high price by Championship standards.”
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The verdict: Stability needed
Widely accepted as something of a sleeping giant across the pantheon of football, Sunderland would see their value rise significantly over the coming weeks should Alex Neil be able to guide the club back to the second tier of English football following a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.
In this instance, Louis-Dreyfus and the remaining hierarchy will have been justified in their decision to stand firm, whilst Storey’s offer will almost instantly fall short of the club’s valuation following promotion.
However, should Neil’s men miss out on promotion, a takeover appears more likely as those in situ might attempt to cut their losses and become more inclined to accept incoming bids such as the one reportedly presented by the British entrepreneur, who has made his money in energy beverages.
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Overall, the ownership situation on Wearside has been a distraction for too long now, and Sunderland fans will surely want this entire matter addressed once and for all over the summer regardless of what league they are playing in next season.
In other news, Sunderland are now facing one big dilemma
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