Francesco Guardascione wants Sheffield Wednesday takeover - It could be Chansiri-esque disaster | OneFootball

Hope is on the horizon for Sheffield Wednesday - but replacing one troubled owner with another could prove catastrophic.

Sheffield Wednesday supporters, long starved of hope under Dejphon Chansiri’s turbulent reign, finally have cause for optimism.

A takeover of the Owls is reportedly close, offering the prospect of much-needed renewal at Hillsborough.

But amid whispers of billionaire American businessmen, another, far more troubling name has emerged.

Why Francesco Guardascione’s interest in Sheffield Wednesday should raise alarm bells

BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton reports that Francesco Guardascione is heading up a consortium pursuing a purchase of the club.

It is a name fans must get to grips with quickly - not because it inspires hope, but because it demands caution.

While Owls fans are right to yearn for the end of the Chansiri era, replacing one chaotic owner with another could plunge the club even deeper into turmoil.

Guardascione is no stranger to football takeovers. He is also no stranger to failing them.

Over the past two years, he has been linked with at least four or five acquisition attempts involving lower league clubs in Italy and Spain. Each one has ended the same way: with deals collapsing due to financial irregularities, specifically failed payments.

Take S.S. Turris Calcio, for example. In January 2024, Guardascione was announced as the club’s new majority shareholder, supposedly bringing an end to Antonio Colantonio’s seven-year ownership.

Yet by February, the €350,000 payment due as part of the deal had not arrived. The bank transfer never landed. The deal collapsed, and Turris remained with Colantonio.

A similar story played out in Spain, where Guardascione’s group, Maraja Holding, appeared set to take control of Sabadell FC. Initial reports were bullish - aspirations of La Liga football were even floated - but again, the money never came.

The bank transfers didn’t clear, and Sabadell issued a statement confirming no agreement had been reached. This isn’t a one-off, it’s a pattern - and it is disturbingly reminiscent of Wednesday’s current plight.

Under Chansiri, the club has been crippled by missed payments, transfer restrictions, unpaid wages, and general financial disorder. Swapping one unsteady hand for another with an even shakier track record would not be progress - it would be a disaster.

Guardascione’s business background is in hospitality and restaurants. His football credentials consist primarily of failed deals, murky finances, and unmet promises.

Football writer Matt Thomas notes Guardascione’s history of collapsing takeovers without explanation. Reports point to failed bank transfers, missing payments, and confusion about ownership.

There are further causes for concern. His son, Daniel Guardascione, has been involved in alleged football-related controversies involving fake contracts.

Sheffield Wednesday must avoid another Chansiri-style ownership disaster

It is critical that the professionals overseeing the sale of Sheffield Wednesday exercise the utmost diligence.

The EFL’s fit and proper person test, already widely criticised for its historic failures, must not allow a repeat of the Chansiri experience.

With an incumbent football regulator now watching, this is precisely the sort of ownership bid that must be scrutinised in the strongest possible terms.

The club is in desperate need of new leadership and fans are right to hope for brighter days - but they must not allow that hope to blind them to the very real risks posed by figures like Guardascione.

Wednesday need stability, transparency, and proper governance - not another ill-fated experiment with financial smoke and mirrors.

Reports suggest other, more credible bidders are in the frame, including US billionaire Tilman Fertitta and former Crystal Palace owner John Textor. These are the kinds of names that may offer a genuine reset - Guardascione, by contrast, seemingly represents the same old chaos in a new suit.

Owls fans deserve better, and the next chapter in this great club’s history must not begin with a repeat of the very mistakes they are still trying to recover from.