Concerning update emerges involving prospective new Sheffield United owner | OneFootball

Concerning reports have emerged this morning regarding prospective Sheffield United owner Dozy Mmbuosi.

The Nigerian businessman has been linked with a takeover of the Blades in the past week, with BBC Sport reporting in recent days that the deal was said to be at an ‘advanced stage’.

Their report states that the Nigerian is worth £6.2 billion, and that he is the founder and Group CEO of Tingo Inc, the parent company of Tingo Mobile, as well as being the founder of ‘Africa’s leading Agri-Fintech company and digital platform’ Nwassa.

BBC Sport report that if Mmbuosi passes the EFL owners’ and directors’ test, he would pay £90 million for the Championship side.

However, whether or not he will pass that test remains to be seen, particularly after very concerning reports emerging this morning.

As per The Athletic, Mmbuosi is the director of an airline company Tingo Airlines – but that there is no evidence that a flight from this company has ever taken place.

Furthermore, The Athletic report that a social media page for the airline company links back to a website that does not exist, and, that the Instagram account in question shares images of aircraft that they claim are ‘digitally doctored’ with a Tingo Airlines livery.

Quiz: Are these 20 Sheffield United facts real or fake?

1 of 20

Sheffield United were founded in 1889

Real Fake

Further concerns regarding the registration of the company exist, as per The Athletic, who write that the address of the business was removed in 2019 due to being ‘invalid or ineffective and was forged’ and also claim that Tingo Airlines Limited is facing an active proposal to be struck off at companies house due to being three months late in filing basic paperwork.

The above details come after reports elsewhere claim that the value of the Nigerian’s tech company plummeted by 94 percent last year.

The Verdict

Given reports that Dozi Mmobuosi is already very much having an influence at Bramall Lane, the above reports are hugely concerning.

Indeed, the Nigerian is already reported to have injected cash into the club, and he also reportedly told the club’s hierarchy not to cash in on either Sander Berge or Iliman Ndiaye during the January transfer window.

Clearly there are questions for Mr Mmbuosi to answer before a takeover goes through, and in some ways, that is what the EFL owners’ and directors’ test is for.

If there are any concerns over Mr Mmbuosi’s wealth or his ability to buy and sustain a football club, let’s hope that it is flagged by the EFL during that process.