Turki Alalshikh drops takeover update - many Sheffield Wednesday fans are saying the same thing | OneFootball

The Saudi boxing promoter has confirmed he will not be buying one of the Owls' divisional rivals

Saudi Arabian boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh has confirmed he will not be investing in Bristol City - a development which has caused quite the reaction from supporters of fellow Championship side, Sheffield Wednesday.

The Robins' start to the season has been far more joyous than that of their second tier rivals, having taken 11 points from the opening six league games of Gerhard Struber's reign at Ashton Gate, losing for the first time in the league last time out at the hands of Oxford United by three goals to one in BS3.

Meanwhile, the Owls' dark predicament continues to come under the microscope, with many predicting them to finish the Championship season as the division's bottom side due to a lengthy set of unwanted circumstances that have played out through Dejphon Chansiri's controversial running of the South Yorkshire club.

Alalshikh has become a prominent figure when it comes to potential football ownership of late, with the 44-year-old previously revealing that he was looking to buy a club in the south of the country, with the likes of Southampton and Millwall mooted as potential destinations.

That, of course, meant that the responsibility of ploughing fresh investment into Wednesday was likely to fall on someone else's shoulders. However, many of those in S6 are hoping that Alalshikh's head has been turned after his fresh revelation on Wednesday afternoon.

Sheffield Wednesday supporters are hoping for Turki Alalshikh takeover after Bristol City denial

Links of a potential Ashton Gate takeover involving the Saudi-born man initially surfaced in June, with plenty of Robins fans hoping that fresh investment would help propel their side to the next level after 23 years under the ownership of Steve Lansdown, who admitted that he was open to a sale back in 2022.

It was reported by Alan Nixon on September 14th that Alalshikh was preparing a formal bid to acquire the club, and that an offer would subsequently be in the pipeline. Such developments and hype only increased when it was claimed earlier in the week that he and an entourage had checked out club facilities prior to closing in on an agreement.

However, in a fresh twist, the boxing promoter quashed such reports on his X account on Wednesday, with the simple message of: "It is not true that I will buy Bristol City FC"

Unsurprisingly, this led to plenty of discourse, plenty of which came from those who support City's cross-city rivals, Bristol Rovers of League Two, who were reveling in the misfortune endured by those at Ashton Gate.

However, supporters of other clubs were hoping this would be a sign he would turn his attention elsewhere, and this certainly applies to Sheffield Wednesday, with the club's very existence in the short and long-term under severe jeopardy at this moment in time.

One Owls supporter made a rather tongue-in-cheek reference to the North Stand at Hillsborough that spells out the controversial Chansiri's name, stating that it would be changed to Alalshikh's if he was to purchase the Steel City club.

Another Wednesdayite referenced the well-known internet meme of an Irishman adding a plot-twist to several scenarios in a pre-drinks speech, hoping that occurs between the two Championship sides.

Another responder of an Owls persuasion got straight to the point when hoping the Saudi tycoon would now be attracted to Hillsborough.

TalkSPORT presenter and ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan revealed four months ago that he persuaded Alalshikh to take control in S6, despite his counterpart having other ideas. Another Wednesday supporter is now hopeful that he has taken such advice on board.

Another supporter with the same hopes also referenced the club's outstanding £7.3m payment which is owed by September 30th, or Wednesday are likely to stare administration right in the face.

One fan urged Alalshikh to also see the vast potential at Hillsborough, with Wednesday now spending 25 years outside the Premier League, whilst only coming close to ending said hiatus on two occasions in the play-offs.

Turki Alalshikh could eventually transform Sheffield Wednesday's fortunes if he changes his mind

For years, Wednesday supporters have been crying out for an owner to continuously have the club's best interests at heart whilst aiming to return to the top flight as soon as possible.

It looked as though Chansiri was that man initially, having overseen two unsuccessful play-off campaigns in 2016 and 2017, before significantly tightening the purse strings, starting a long chain of events which has led to the club's dire situation at present.

Wednesday have already received a 12-point deduction under his ownership and spent two campaigns in League One, where many believe they are destined for again due to a lack of squad depth, registration and transfer embargoes, fee restrictions and the looming threat of administration.

According to MARCA, Alalkshikh has a net worth of $2.8bn (£2.21bn), meaning whichever club he takes over would be significantly backed.

As some supporters have referenced, it would be a long process at Hillsborough due to the current situation, meaning overnight success may not be guaranteed, but after several false dawns, those associated with the club could finally start looking upwards.