“Potentially pivotal turning point” – Sheffield United could be set for billionaire takeover: The verdict | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘The Verdict‘ series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Championship promotion contenders Sheffield United could soon be taken over.

That is according to BBC Sport, who report that a takeover of the club by Nigerian billionaire Dozy Mmobuosi is at an advanced stage.

Their report claims that the club’s current owner, Prince Abdullah, has been in talks with Mmobuosi, and that if he passes the EFL’s owners’ and directors’ test, he will pay £90 million for the Blades.

That amount will reportedly lift the club’s recent transfer embargo by settling the club’s debts.

With that in mind, below, three of our FLW writers have offered their thoughts on the potential takeover.

Simmey Hannifin-Donaldson

This seems to be a positive thing for Sheffield United.

It is not everyday a reported billionaire is wanting to take over your football club.

The best part of this deal for the Blades, though, is that it will settle their debts and should lift them out of their current transfer embargo ahead of the summer, when it looks as though they may be recruiting for the Premier League.

It’s a great opportunity for Mmobuosi, too, who is buying a club on the verge of promotion to the Premier League and receiving all of the riches that brings.

Now it’s down to the EFL’s owners’ and directors’ test and for the body to determine Mmobuosi’s suitability.

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Toby Wilding

This feels like a potentially pivotal turning point for Sheffield United, one way or another.

Whenever a new owner takes over a club, there is always some uncertainty about what direction they will take the team in, especially when they do not have a prior clear connection to English football.

That is of course, the situation that Sheffield United currently find themselves facing, although the fact they are in a transfer embargo, means it does feel like change may be needed, to take them out of, and avoid them returning to, such a scenario.

However, it will need more than just that for this takeover to work out with long term backing required given how hard it is for a club to re-establish themselves in the Premier League, so it is essential that funds continue to come in, even beyond the initial prospective takeover being completed.

Ben Wignall

It’s always exciting for supporters when your club is in the middle of a takeover situation, but often they can lead to false dawns or premature excitement.

And at times it’s difficult to weigh up whether or not the individual or consortium interested is the right fit for the club, and in terms of Mmobuosi and Sheffield United it’s quite difficult to say whether or not he is suitable.

Ultimately the EFL will decide if he’s fit for purpose, but all we know of the Nigerian is that his Tingo Mobile company was valued at $7.6 billion in 2021 – there is nothing however in the public domain regarding his personal wealth which is the most important thing here.

The fact that Mmobuosi has reportedly injected an eight-figure sum into the club though before his takeover has been approved to help with running costs and to pay off transfer instalments is a positive step though, so you have to think that he’s more-than capable of being a good owner if he gets the right team around him.