After an abysmal season in which they conceded over 100 Premier League goals to set a new record for mediocrity, Sheffield United may have found some respite.
The Blades are gearing up for another season in the Championship but just before that, they could have new owners.
According to the Telegraph, negotiations between current owner Prince Abdullah and an unnamed group of Silicon Valley-based investors have been in talks over the transfer of the club for a while.
Those talks have finally been agreed upon and both parties are advancing over a sale worth more than £100 million. It is also believed that the key figures in the investment group have already tied up loose ends with the EFL by travelling to England for due diligence. The EFL are gearing up to conduct an owners’ and directors’ test for the new owners of the club.
This deal could have happened before the start of the 2023/24 Premier League season but the talks fell through. Upon their relegation, the capital investment group revived the talks and Prince Abdullah was ready to listen.
Should the deal go through, the Blades will join Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Birmingham City and Leeds United as clubs in England that are owned or partially owned by Americans.
The prospective new owners of the club are already making moves to shake up the club. They have contacted former Burnley and Bournemouth scout Des Taylor to come in as their technical director.
Meanwhile, Ivo Grbic is looking to return to Spain after a failed stint with the Blades. The former Atlético de Madrid reserve goalkeeper hoped he could make a name for himself in England but flopped heavily as the Blades suffered relegation.
Sheffield are willing to let him go but the Croat wants a move to Spain which could prove tricky for the 28-year-old. Sheffield could also lose Vinicius Souza and Gustavo Hamer this summer.
The club have also decided to rescind their decision to keep midfielder Ben Osborn at Bramall Lane this summer, a decision that was influenced by the club’s prospective new owners.
According to sources, Osborn who thought he was staying at the club after being told that they would exercise a clause in his contract with them to keep him for another year, did not receive official confirmation of the club’s decision to boot him out.
Many changes will come with Prince Abdullah’s decision to sell the club. The sale is currently being facilitated by renowned financial institution Lazard.
