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Chairpersons

Tottenham Hotspur's Potential Sale: Who's in the Running?

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Tottenham Hotspur's ownership has long been the subject of speculation, and the recent departure of chairman Daniel Levy has sparked renewed talk of a sale. Enic, the company owned by the Joe Lewis family trust, has taken full control of the club, prompting speculation that they may sell to a new owner. Here, we assess the potential buyers and examine the various groups and individuals vying for the chance to take control of the North London club.

Key Takeaways:

  • A Qatar mystery consortium has been linked with a potential buyout of Tottenham, with reports suggesting they are willing to give Daniel Levy a long-term contract to continue running the club as executive chairman.
  • Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), which owns Paris St-Germain and holds a minority stake in Portuguese club Braga, has also been previously linked with investing in Spurs.
  • Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who tried to buy Manchester United two years ago, has also been mentioned as a potential buyer, although there is no official confirmation.
  • Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in investing in a Premier League club, but the Saudi Public Investment Fund would need to overcome Premier League rules preventing it from investing directly in Liverpool or, in this case, Tottenham due to its ownership of Newcastle United.
  • Elliott Investment Management, led by billionaire Paul Singer, has previously made it through to the second stage of the process when considering buying United two years ago, and may be considering a similar move for Spurs.
  • The Carlyle, Sixth Street Partners, and Ares Management team has also been linked with a potential bid, as have the Ricketts family and Ken Griffin, who teamed up to bid for Chelsea three years ago.
  • Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi was reported to be preparing a bid for Spurs two years ago, and is the chair of private equity firm MSP Sports Capital, which owns a 15% stake in Formula One team McLaren.
  • Amanda Staveley, who helped broker the takeover deals at Manchester City and Newcastle, has been in talks with Middle East-funded deal to purchase a stake in Spurs, and is reportedly in a strong position to secure the deal.

Statistics:

  • The Qatar mystery consortium is willing to give Daniel Levy a long-term contract to continue running the club as executive chairman.
  • Qatar Sports Investment owns Paris St-Germain and holds a minority stake in Portuguese club Braga.
  • A 15% stake in Formula One team McLaren was purchased by MSP Sports Capital in December 2020 for £185m.
  • Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has ownership of Newcastle United, which could block its investment in Tottenham.

Sources:

  • A source close to the Lewis family has insisted the change has been made in order to put sporting success first and described it as "a new era" for the club.
  • A report in February mentioned an unnamed group of Qatari investors looking to purchase the club, potentially in the form of a phased buyout.
  • QSI has been previously linked with investing in Spurs -- as well as with a naming-rights deal for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
  • The Saudi minister for sport, prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, said in 2022 that his government would support any bid for a Premier League club from the private sector there.
  • Elliott Investment Management was linked to United two years ago.
  • Carlyle, Sixth Street Partners, and Ares Management were also mentioned as interested parties.
  • MSP Sports Capital has a 15% stake in Formula One team McLaren.

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