Khun Top claim made after Leicester City investment news - it's come at a 'strange time' | OneFootball

FLW's Leicester fan pundit has given his verdict on a potential change in the ownership structure at the club

Leicester City are preparing for life in League One after a disastrous campaign.

The Foxes were relegated from the Premier League just 12 months ago, and have suffered the drop yet again.

Gary Rowett took charge of the team in February, but he was unable to turn things around in the final months of the term, with the club finishing 23rd in the table.

A six point deduction penalty for breaching the profit and sustainability rules hampered their survival hopes, as they ended the season with 46 points, five adrift of safety.

Leicester will now be planning for the summer ahead, with their sights surely set on earning promotion straight out of League One straight away.

However, they will face stiff competition in what could prove a very challenging year in the third division.

Leicester City ownership change unlikely

It has been reported that a consortium are seeking a deal to invest in Leicester following their relegation from the Championship.

It has been claimed that the group have a background in property, and are looking to buy the King Power Stadium, as well as their Seagrave training ground as part of any deal, along with a stake in the club.

When asked about the possibility of Aiyawatt "Top" Srivaddhanaprabha agreeing to any kind of ownership change, FLW’s Leicester fan pundit Jamie Preston claimed that this deal seems unlikely to come to fruition.

He is sceptical of the proposal, which he feels has come from nowhere, suggesting that Top has no interest in walking away from his position with the Foxes.

“The news of the consortium has come out at a strange time, to be fair,” Preston told Football League World.

“I think it’s all fake news.

“It’s weird how all of a sudden this big Leicester consortium with all these investments in property wants to buy King Power, wants to buy Seagrave.

“I’m not sure Top would want to sell some of his shares, I don’t think he’ll want to sell any of the club, to be honest.

“I think he wants to try and battle on through the problems Leicester are having.

“I know a lot of the fans are protesting again, I think Top’s in here for the long-run to be fair.

“I think this news about the consortium is all fake news, it’s very strange how it’s just appeared out of absolutely nowhere.

“To be honest, I think it’s all a bit clickbait and I think a lot of the Leicester fans think the same.”

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha purchased Leicester in 2010, but his tragic passing in 2018 led to his son taking on greater responsibility behind the scenes at the King Power.

The Foxes went on to win the FA Cup in 2021, but suffered relegation to the second tier in 2023 amid financial difficulties.

The club were punished for breaching the profit and sustainability rules, which played a pivotal role in their relegation this season.

Leicester will now be planning for a promotion push in League One next season, but it remains to be seen whether Rowett will remain in charge of the first team squad.

He replaced Martí Cifuentes in February, overseeing just two wins from his 14 games in charge, along with eight draws and four defeats.

External investment could be a positive opportunity for Leicester

The devil is in the details with this consortium looking to get involved with Leicester, as their background in property and their desire to buy the club’s assets could be a red flag.

It would be surprising if Top gave up control of the stadium and the training ground while maintaining a majority share in the team, and splitting that up could prove problematic in the long run.

But external investment could be quite welcome at Leicester given their recent financial issues, as it could help them get back to the level they were at not too long ago.

It remains to be seen whether this deal will go anywhere just yet, but Top shouldn’t categorically rule out working together with an investment partner as long as the details of a deal are suitable.