US billionaire wants to buy Tottenham Hotspur for $3.75 billion
US billionaire Jahm Najafi is apparently ready to make a serious bid to buy Tottenham Hotspur. According to sources with Financial Times, the Iranian-American businessman is preparing a massive $3.75 billion offer to purchase the club from current owners Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy. Najafi is currently chairman of MSP Sports Capital. The American investment […]
US billionaire Jahm Najafi is apparently ready to make a serious bid to buy Tottenham Hotspur. According to sources with Financial Times, the Iranian-American businessman is preparing a massive $3.75 billion offer to purchase the club from current owners Joe Lewis and Daniel Levy.
Najafi is currently chairman of MSP Sports Capital. The American investment group already has ownership stake in Bundesliga outfit Augsburg, Portuguese club Estoril, Spanish side AD Alcorcon and Belgian team SK Beveren.
Middle East to help fund deal with US billionaire and Tottenham
MSP’s potential offer would value the north London club’s equity at $3 billion. The remaining $750,000 would then be added to the team’s debt. According to the report, Najafi’s MSP would essentially front 70% of the purchase price. Middle Eastern investors would then take on the remaining 30%. Forbes previously valued Spurs at $2.35 billion back in May 2022.
Lewis and Levy, through the group English National Investment Company, initially purchased a minority stake in Spurs in the late 1990s. However, they quickly acquired a controlling majority in the club in 2001 when they bought out Lord Alan Sugar. The extra 26% of team shares cost the duo around $31 million.
ENIC garnered praised for taking Spurs into the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ despite keeping spending relatively limited. Also, the group financed the state-of-the-art Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Construction finished in 2019. Nevertheless, Spurs have managed just one significant trophy since Lewis and Levy completed the takeover.
MSP previously linked with Everton
Najafi’s group was recently linked with a deal for fellow Premier League club Everton. Cameras spotted the American at a Toffees game against Southampton last month. However, it seems as if Najafi and MSP have potentially shifted their focus to Spurs. If completed, Najafi would become the 11th American owner in the Premier League.
The investment group will have just received a fairly significant boost in funds. Najafi holds a minority stake in National Basketball Association’s Phoenix Suns. The team sold in December for $4 billion, but Najafi retained his stake in the Suns.
PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images
