Potential Sheffield United asking price twist amid US takeover talk

As The Star first revealed earlier this week, a number of individuals and companies from across the Atlantic view Bramall Lane as a potential acquisition following owner Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s admission that he is interested in offloading his stake.

But the amount United’s potential suitors would be willing to pay might depend upon the timing of any future deal. Sources with knowledge of how those already involved in the American sporting and business communities operate last night confirmed that some already involved in English football insisted they would pay a predetermined sum upon completion and then a further amount should their acquisition either avoid relegation or win promotion – depending upon the particular circumstances of the club they were buying.

Although this tactic might not prove amenable to Prince Abdullah, who was recently involved in talks with Nigerian entrepreneur Dozy Mmobuosi, it might help grease the wheels of the process should his negotiations with those circling United still be ongoing when the new Premier League campaign begins in August.

Mmobuosi, whose period of exclusivity has now expired, was initially prepared to hand over around £115m for Prince Abdullah’s shares in United after first making contact with the Saudi Arabian midway through last term. With Paul Heckingbottom later guiding his squad into the top-flight, the figure then rose to £150m according to one individual connected to United.

However, Mmobuosi has so far been unable to gain approval from the English Football League who must ratify any change of control at United until they receive their PL share. This handover is scheduled to take place at some point next month, with the two organisations known to pool information on persons of interest involved with the respective members.

Prince Abdullah, an avid San Francisco 49’ers fan, recently published a picture of himself with members of the NFL franchise’s hierarchy on a social media platform. However, PL rules prohibit anyone from the 49’ers becoming involved with United because of their investment in Leeds.

A consortium with links to Silicon Valley is thought to be considering entering the race to succeed Prince Abdullah while a brokerage service, which attempts to pair its clients with opportunities in this country, has also been gathering information on United following the apparent collapse of Prince Abdullah’s discussions with Mmobuosi. Both are also thought to have enlisted the help of experts with detailed insights into how British football operates.

Engaging with people who can demonstrate a proven track record in this field would help United’s top brass avoid some of the difficulties they have experienced when trying to sell in the past. Henry Mauriss, who was mooted as Prince Abdullah’s successor last year, has since been convicted of wire fraud and jailed in California. He had previously been linked to Newcastle, before they were acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Neither Mauriss nor Mmobousi wanted to acquire other members of United World, the organisation Prince Abdullah uses to oversee his other sporting interests which include Beerschot, Kerala United and a baseball league in the States. However, many US investors are enthusiastic about multi-club structures.