Sheffield Wednesday takeover news: Chris Waddle concern, Mike Ashley warning | OneFootball

All the latest news surrounding the takeover process at Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday have passed the 100 day mark of administration and the takeover process is still ongoing.

A preferred bidder was named in December, but the club are still awaiting ratification from the EFL.

James Bord’s consortium won out the negotiating process, which began in October, but it remains to be seen whether the EFL will approve their offer to buy the Owls.

The likes of Mike Ashley and the Storch family were involved in the negotiations to decide who will buy the Championship side from Dejphon Chansiri.

Here we look at all the latest news surrounding the takeover situation at Sheffield Wednesday…

Chris Waddle takeover concerns

Chris Waddle has raised concerns over how long it is taking the club to complete the takeover process, suggesting it is ultimately hurting their ability to prepare for next season.

He sympathised with supporters, who are stuck in limbo as the wait drags on for a definitive answer on the Sheffield Wednesday ownership.

“Let's be honest, it's about next season,” said Waddle, via The Star.

“It's about not giving up, showing your discipline and your pride and going about your business giving it what you've got.

“The supporters have got behind them, the away fans are still travelling in numbers and the thing is next season.

“The frustrating part is that at the moment, nobody has taken over the club.

“It's going on and on.

“The season is a write-off but I thought by now we'd be looking at new owners and the club would be kicking on getting ready for next season.

“The longer it runs, the planning for next season is put on hold.

“It'll be a big season and you have to be ready.”

Waddle has claimed the prospective new owners won’t want to be left waiting too long before they can get to work on building a team capable of fighting for promotion next season, so the longer this goes on the bigger the worry.

“We know they're relegated, so they have to bounce straight back,” he continued.

“You don't want to be sitting in that league.

“New owners will want to kick straight back and be competing in the Championship, competing for a place in the Premier League.

“It's all about getting organised, but it's hard to do that when you don't know where you are with who's going to end up with the club.

“It needs sorting out.

“We know who it could be, but there's no definite.”

Henrik Pedersen free agents claim

Henrik Pedersen has claimed that Yan Valery’s sudden departure to Young Boys has now opened the door for the Owls to potentially sign a free agent player.

The Dane has told supporters that the club are working as hard as they can to fill out the squad to the best of their ability after the right-back made the move to the Swiss outfit.

“We can bring a free transfer player in now, so we will start to look,” said Pedersen, via The Star.

“We also know this is a difficult market to find players now.

“We are doing all that we can.

“Now the game is done, we will put a lot of energy into finding a player who can come in and help us.”

It’s understood that Valery was one of the highest earners in the Sheffield Wednesday squad, and his exit has now freed up a lot of space on the first team squad’s wage bill.

Sheffield Wednesday issued Mike Ashley warning

It was reported earlier this month by The Times that the Storch family and Ashley are both waiting in the wings to swoop in to buy Sheffield Wednesday, should Bord’s offer not be ratified by the EFL.

When asked about the prospect of either party moving forward in the takeover process, FLW’s Owls fan pundit Patrick McKenna claimed it’s not worth worrying about just yet.

He’s warned supporters that their energy should be focused on getting behind Bord’s offer until they hear otherwise.

“I’m not really going to put my energy into thinking about them,” McKenna told Football League World.

“I’m just going to get behind, at this stage, the preferred bidder.

“At the end of the day, these are the guys that put in the biggest bid, they outbid Ashley and Storch, so they have got the right to get further in the process.

“So, as fans we’re waiting to see how this James Bord consortium goes, and I’m hoping it does go through and that we get to see their plans and we get some closure on the process.

“Because I know that there are checks to go through, but it’s just a situation where I just want the administration process to be over.

“At the end of the day, for Ashley and Storch to say we’re in the same bidding process, rules were the same, but they were unwilling to pay enough to avoid a 15-point deduction.

“I think that is quite telling, so we all know what Ashley is like.

“Of course he’s going to be hanging about, looking to get it on the cheap, and for some reason fans seem to be backing this approach.”

Sheffield Wednesday relegation could arrive before EFL takeover decision

If the EFL continue to stall on any decision regarding Bord’s offer to buy Sheffield Wednesday, then it’s very possible the club could be relegated before a change in ownership is made.

The Owls were deducted 18 points for multiple rule breaches this season, which has left them with a total of minus seven points.

The gap to safety is now 39 points, with just 15 games remaining, meaning the Yorkshire outfit could officially be relegated this month.

Defeat to Millwall this weekend would all but seal their fate, especially if Leicester City claim victory against Southampton on Tuesday evening.

But it is likely that their fate in the bottom three won’t be officially confirmed until 22 February against their bitter rivals Sheffield United.

If their losing run continues through the next two games, then one point for Leicester in their games against the Saints and Stoke City will see Pedersen’s side consigned to life in League One.