Watford FC: Crystal Palace owner John Textor lining up Hornets takeover bid | OneFootball

The American businessman is looking to become yet another US owner of an EFL club.

American businessman and Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor is looking at making a move for Watford FC if he is able to move on from his Eagles stock.

The Hornets' current long-serving owner, Gino Pozzo, is open to letting the club go for the right price, after making 10 per cent of his shares in the team available last summer, and Textor is weighing up the possibility of a takeover at Vicarage Road, according to a report The Sun.

Pozzo and his father took control of Watford in 2012, and have overseen their rise up to the Premier League, including the famous Troy Deeney play-off semi-final goal against Leicester City, but also their slow drift into Championship mediocrity since their last relegation from the English top flight in the 2021/22 season.

The club's board are most notable - for those looking at the club from the outside in - for their trigger-happiness when it comes to getting rid of managers, but that tenure of quick changes in the dugout could be over soon if a deal materialises between the Italian and Textor.

John Textor eyeing up Watford FC takeover if Crystal Palace sale goes through

Textor, who owns a 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace, has himself been trying to move on from his current shareholding in his respective English team for some time now.

The Sun have said that fellow owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer are considering buying out Textor, and that an investment group called Sportsbank have submitted a bid to the American.

He has been in a reported standoff with club chairman Steve Parish, as well as Harris and Blitzer, and he is looking to try and use his stake in Palace's parent company, Eagle Football, to get a piece of the Hornets, according to The Sun.

Textor wants £230 million for his share in the Premier League side, as per the national outlet, while Pozzo is said to be looking to get £150-175 million in order to relinquish his control of Watford.

The American has a wide footballing portfolio. He is the owner of French side Lyon, Belgian club RWD Molenbeek, and iconic Brazilian club Botafogo.

He reportedly tried - and failed - to buy Everton earlier in the year, and he was linked with the currently ongoing takeover process at Sheffield United, but his involvement in it turned out to not be true.

John Textor takeover could revamp Watford FC if successful

When a prospective buyer has the portfolio that someone like the American does, all you have to do is look at their track record to see whether they are likely to be effective owners, and his record is a decent enough one.

Crystal Palace have become a constant in the Premier League since he got involved with the club in 2010, although he's not been the most popular person at Selhurst Park at times. Botafogo are currently top of their league and RWD Molenbeek made it up to the Belgian top flight for the first time in half a decade, and look on course to do it again.

Lyon have faltered a bit in recent years, but Textor by no means is an absolute car crash option, and fresh blood being pumped into the club could provide the boost that the Hornets need to get back up to the Premier League.

They've started this season well under Tom Cleverley, and maybe, from Textor's perspective, now is the best time to catch the crest of the Watford wave.