Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reacts to "positive" Sheffield Wednesday takeover news | OneFootball

The Owls are in a perilous state as fans urge current owner Dejphon Chansiri to sell the club

Former Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor has reportedly requested a meeting with Dejphon Chansiri to discuss a Sheffield Wednesday takeover.

This latest plan in the saga of the Owls’ future was reported by The Guardian journalist Ed Aarons, who revealed that the American businessman has been in touch with the current Wednesday owner’s representatives to schedule a meeting.

The news comes as BBC Sheffield journalist Rob Staton revealed that there were late questions about whether the Owls could satisfy their payroll again for August, after missing payment dates earlier this year, but it’s believed that staff are to be paid on time on this occasion.

We asked pundit Lee Hendrie whether this latest Textor update is a positive one for Wednesday.

Sheffield Wednesday ownership issue needs addressing

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “Yeah, the takeover with [Dejphon] Chansiri. John Textor obviously wants to have the conversation about the takeover possibility.

“It's always positive when you think that something could be, should be, happening.

“But, there has been lots of talk and lots of noise around, maybe potential buyers or potential movement on Sheffield Wednesday getting resolved.

“So, yeah, I mean, it's positive for the Owls fans and for players, but, you know, you do feel that they have to try and get something sorted out sooner rather than later.

“And hopefully this is something that might just have a bit more concrete and might give something to the fans and players that, you know, this could possibly happen, because it needs to be resolved.”

There is still a long road ahead for Sheffield Wednesday

That Textor is pushing for talks with Chansiri is a positive, as he would at least be a more visible figure than the current owner, but it will be a long time until Owls fans are jumping for joy.

Chansiri is already believed to have rejected a £40m offer from an unknown consortium, while holding out for a figure believed to be around £100m.

That is a big gap in valuation, for an asset as troubled as the Owls currently are, with a transfer ban currently in place until the start of 2027 due to unpaid wages.

As expected, they have got off to a difficult start to the Championship season under the circumstances, with a somewhat cobbled-together team, and are currently the bookies’ favourite to be relegated.

A demotion would only further compound their issues, and give the club another uphill task to overcome, which is a lot for a new owner to consider.

Nevertheless, Textor is keen and, after selling his share in Palace last month, wants to jump back in with an English club, seeing Wednesday as akin to the challenge he took on with Botafogo; reviving an historic club that has fallen on hard times.

Wednesday fans continue to boycott both attending games and spending money with the club as they try all they can to force Chansiri to sell up, so this update of Textor’s persistence will be a positive one.