Two names emerge as frontrunners for Sheffield Wednesday takeover | OneFootball

A preferred bidder to buy Sheffield Wednesday could be named in the coming days

Two names have emerged as front-runners to take over Sheffield Wednesday amid question marks over James Bord’s prospective bid.

According to the Daily Mail, a preferred bidder will be named in the near future with only two parties still considered at the forefront of the race.

The Owls went into administration in October, and Begbies Traynor have been negotiating to find someone to take over the Championship side in the weeks since.

Previous owner Dejphon Chansiri is set to receive £15 million as part of the sale, with the Thai businessman receiving a three-year ban from the EFL for his mismanagement of the Yorkshire outfit.

Sheffield Wednesday were handed a 12 point deduction penalty as a consequence of going into administration, with a further six points docked for another rule breach.

Two parties emerge as Sheffield Wednesday takeover front-runners

There are reportedly concerns surrounding the funding in Bord’s bid to purchase Sheffield Wednesday, leading to Mike Ashley and John McEvoy’s respective offers moving ahead in the race to take over the Yorkshire outfit.

The former poker player is at the forefront of a bid, and it’s believed that their offer could struggle to pass the EFL’s Owners and Directors Test.

This has given an edge to Ashley, who previously owned Newcastle United, and the consortium made up of McEvoy and the Storch family.

It’s expected that a preferred bidder will be named in the near future, potentially as early as Friday afternoon, with supporters hoping that a takeover can be completed swiftly.

Ashley’s bid is understood to be the lowest of the three offers currently on the table, but the lack of any potential red flags that could be raised by the EFL means he is still in contention due to time being of the essence.

It was previously reported that a reserve price of £30 million has been set by Begbies Traynor, with the administrators looking to clear the club’s creditors in order to avoid further punishments from the EFL.

James Bord development is progress in Sheffield Wednesday takeover process

Bord’s bid being frowned upon due to concerns over passing the Owners and Directors Test shows that progress is being made in the process of naming a preferred bidder.

Of course, this offer now has so many red flags surrounding it for supporters, but there are still the bids from Ashley and the McEvoy/Storch consortium.

Any issue that could hold up the sale is going to be a major stumbling block for one of these bids, so Begbies Traynor will be keen to name a preferred prospective owner that can take over Sheffield Wednesday quickly.