Bradford City and Wigan Athletic takeovers: What is going on? | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at the latest talk regarding potential takeovers at both Bradford City and Wigan Athletic

Bradford City and Wigan Athletic supporters were both surprised by the news that their respective League One clubs are up for sale.

The Bantams have been on the up under current owner Stefan Rupp, and are likely to finish in the third-tier play-offs after winning promotion from League Two just last season.

Meanwhile, the Latics were rescued by their owner, Mike Danson, who bought the Greater Manchester club in the summer of 2023, when they were subject to an HMRC winding-up petition.

Wigan's previous ownership group, a Bahraini consortium, consistently failed to pay wages on time during the 2022/23 Championship season, which led to points deductions, a contributing factor towards their relegation.

The Latics also fell into administration in the summer of 2020, a situation they were plunged into by Hong Kong-based consortium Next Leader Fund.

As a result of their club's recent financial turmoil, the Wigan faithful are rightly nervous about the prospect of another change in ownership.

Meanwhile, Bradford supporters are pleased by the position that Rupp has guided the West Yorkshire club to, and a change in hierarchy would be a step into the unknown.

Football League World takes a look at the latest chatter regarding both the West Yorkshire club and the Greater Manchester outfit:

Stefan Rupp has been told he doesn't have to sell Bradford City, Wigan Athletic statement has provided takeover clarity

Bradford and Wigan have endured differing fortunes in League One this season, as the Bantams are chasing promotion, whereas the Latics are fighting to obtain survival.

However, Gary Caldwell's men defeated Graham Alexander's side 2-0 at the Brick Community Stadium on 14 March, thanks to goals from Caylan Vickers and Joe Taylor.

Meanwhile, both sets of supporters have been discussing the prospect of their respective clubs being sold to new owners.

The Athletic revealed on 7 March that both Wigan and Bradford are for sale, in a major update which surfaced just one week before their aforementioned meeting.

Discussing the situation, FLW's Bantams fan pundit, Boris Thomson, said that Rupp doesn't have to sell Bradford: "It's an interesting one. From Rupp's perspective, it kind of makes sense. The last couple of years, we are in an infinitely better position than three years ago. We look like we're going to continue this progress.

"The fee is kind of correct, I'd say. It seems as though he's doubled his investment, which is interesting, because when you buy Bradford City, you're kind of buying nothing.

"We don't own our ground, we don't own the training ground. You're kind of just buying contracts. It's an interesting one. I wouldn't be opposed to him selling up for someone with a bit more of a footballing background that can potentially take us into the higher divisions.

"I think someone with a bit more footballing nous could be the one to take us up. But I'm not going to sit here and say that Rupp's not the right man for the job because the progress he's made in the last couple of years has been amazing."

The Athletic's report revealed that Rupp wants £10million for the West Yorkshire outfit, whereas Danson could be tempted to sell Wigan for less than that.

Amid the understandable nerves of the Latics fanbase, the Greater Manchester club's board released a statement: "We are aware of recent reports regarding the circulation of an investment memorandum. We want to be straightforward with supporters about what this means.

"Since acquiring the club in 2023, our priority has been to stabilise Wigan Athletic after a period of significant turmoil, and we are proud of the progress made.

"Earlier this year, the Danson family took the decision to explore options for bringing additional investment into the club to support its long-term ambitions. This was a decision taken by the ownership, not the wider board. That process is open to a range of outcomes, including a full change of ownership, if the right party came forward with the right commitment to the club and the town.

"We understand that any mention of ownership change will cause concern among a fanbase that has been through more than its share of uncertainty. We did not seek to publicise this process because we did not want to create anxiety about something that may not lead to any change at all. That was a judgment call, and we accept that others may see it differently.

"What we can say clearly is this: we will not hand this club to anyone who does not share our commitment to its stability, its community role, and its future. The Danson family remains fully engaged in the day-to-day running of the club, and that will not change unless and until we are satisfied that any new investment or ownership would be in the best interests of Wigan Athletic.

"We will continue to keep supporters informed through the established channels."

Wigan Athletic and Bradford City ownership developments may hinge on League One outcomes

Wigan and Bradford share a couple of things in common aside from the fact that they are both for sale, as they boast two of the biggest stadiums in League One.

Additionally, they are both former Premier League outfits who reached the domestic cup finals in 2013, with the Latics beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final, whereas the Bantams lost to Swansea City at Wembley.

That kind of history could do both sides a favour when it comes to sourcing new owners.

However, whether Wigan and Bradford are bought soon could hinge on whether the Latics stay in League One and whether the Bantams clinch promotion to the Championship.