Tottenham are open to new investors as Daniel Levy continues to plan for the future in north London. Having recorded losses of £86.8million in the 2022/23 financial period, the Englishman is keeping his options open.
In April, the club chairman went as far as admitting that talks with potential candidates to pump cash into the club had already started. “The board and its advisors, Rothschild & Co, are in discussions with prospective investors,” he said. With the plan to “deliver on-pitch success,” Levy is now preparing to enter a second season under Ange Postecoglou after getting back into Europe following a fifth-place finish.
Spurs have attracted plenty of attention in recent years as one of the few remaining top-flight clubs not under the influence of either American or Middle Eastern owners. Given increased tension in the Premier League with regards to financial compliance and profitability and sustainability rules (PSRs), it is becoming harder to compete with the richest of the rich.
Levy himself has also been open about this and is a public advocate for stricter regulations in club football. It hasn’t stopped him and his club from being linked with big-money takeovers, though.
Spurs were reportedly on the radar for previously prospective Manchester United buyer Sheikh Jassim, while 777 Partners, MSP, and even A-List celebrities have also been mentioned as potential suitors.
Any takeover – full or partial – will not come cheaply, though. Tottenham are thought to be worth over £3.5billion. They wouldn’t be the only team at the top of the table to look for outside investment either. In September 2023, Liverpool generated £150million with the sale of a small stake.
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Here, football.london has the latest on a possible takeover at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Amanda Staveley interest
British businesswoman Amanda Staveley is reportedly open to investing in Tottenham having had her minority stake in Newcastle bought out by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund in July. According to Bloomberg, the former Magpies co-owner is already looking at new opportunities to get back into football.
Staveley helped PIF purchase Newcastle in 2021, taking on six per cent of the club, and had been a public-facing figure of the consortium until her departure was announced. She helped oversee Newcastle’s rise from relegation candidates to European contenders.
With £500million raised by her investment fund PCP Capital Partners, it is said that she is already planning her next venture with Spurs one of several teams being considered. Monaco are also mentioned.
Staveley, 51, has been spotted at Tottenham matches in the past few years, watching on at Chelsea and St James’ Park during matches involving the North Londoners. She is already said to have held talks with advisors, Rothschild and Co.
Summer investment claim made
Former Aston Villa and Everton CEO Keith Wyness has made a huge Tottenham takeover claim which includes clear investment timeline.
“I’ve been involved in discussions with several groups who have a genuine interest in trying to get minority ownership at Spurs,” he told the Football Insider podcast. “But most groups want a view to buying a majority stake in the club.
“Some of the biggest names in the world of finance have been involved in the discussions. Rothschilds are the advisors for Spurs, and they’ve had a share on the market for years now – but no one has quite been able to find an agreement yet.”
He added: “I’m sensing something big is coming up in the summer – when this deal for a minority stake could get much closer.”
Investment talks
In Spurs’ financial accounts, Levy confirmed: “the board and its advisors, Rothschild & Co, are in discussions with prospective investors” as the north London outfit needs to “continue to invest in the teams and undertake future capital projects, the club requires a significant increase in its equity base”.
Liberty Media purchase
Formula One owners Liberty Media had been suggested as a potential investor for Tottenham last summer. Those reports did go quiet and they have now made their next move.
The US media conglomerate recently bought MotoGP in a deal valued at £3.6bn. The deal is expected to be officially completed by the end of the year.
Liverpool plan
Rivals Liverpool have already secured recent investment into the club after announcing that they would also be looking for added funds. In September it was confirmed that New York-based firm Dynasty Equity had put in between $100million (£80m) and $200million (£163m) in order to improve the club’s cash flow.
This ended rumours of an overall sale of the club whilst Fenway Sports Group (FSG) pivot their own focus towards other investments elsewhere. The Liverpool Echo now suggests that they are keen to acquire an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas, though that is a longer-term ambition.
FSG are also reportedly said to be keen in pursuing the golf market, investing in the PGA Tour with a bid that could rival Newcastle’s Private Investment Fund (PIF). After months of disagreements following the creation of LIV Golf there is yet to be a properly ratified deal between PIF, PGA Tour and DP World Tour and this could open the door to firms interested in investing.
Although it does not have a direct impact on Tottenham, as one of their Premier League rivals it is certainly of interest that FSG are reportedly willing to to compete with WWE and UFC owners Endeavour for this way in with PGA Tour.
Sheikh Jassim decision
Sheikh Jassim will not look to buy another football club amid links with a move to takeover Tottenham, claims reporter Ben Jacobs. The Qatari-based Nine Two Foundation have been rumoured with potentially making a bid for Spurs following their failed move for Manchester United, however that now seems unlikely.
Offer confirmed
Tottenham have turned down offers in the past for the club, Levy has confirmed. “Over the years many people have made offers but there’s never been offer that’s been…” he started when asked by Bloomberg before being cut off. He was the quizzed on where the offers have come from.
“All parts of the world, the far East, the Middle East, America. Nothing has been put on our table that we feel has been of the interest to the shareholders.”
As for why nothing has materialised, the English businessman added: “Lots of reasons. For us as a board we are only custodians of this club. We want to take it to another level. We’ve shown progression over the last 20 years, we’ve made a big investment in our capital projects, in our team and if someone came along and we felt they could take us to another level we’d look at it.”
“If we get the right naming rights partner — and when I say that, I mean somebody who pays the right money in the right sector — then we are willing to consider doing it,” said Levy. “But we’re not as tied to doing it now as perhaps we would’ve been when we first looked at building the stadium.”
Levy admission
Levy has admitted that he would consider selling a stake in the club if the right offer came about. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg he said: “I’ve got no real interest to leave Tottenham, but I have a duty to consider anything that anyone may want to propose. It’s not about me, it’s about what’s right for the club.
“We have 30,000 shareholders who own approximately 13.5 per cent. We run this club as if it is a public company. If anyone wants to make a serious proposition to the board of Tottenham we would consider it, along with our advisers, and if we felt it was in the interests of the club we would be open to anything.”
Sheikh Jassim interest
Spurs may be an option for Sheikh Jassim, who is said to have had five bids for Manchester United, now he has failed in his bid to take control at Old Trafford.
According to ESPN journalist Mark Ogden, Sheikh Jassim and his entourage earmarked Spurs as a potential option.
“They want the Premier League footprint,” Ogden told The United Stand. “Somebody told me recently, they said that if the Qataris don’t buy Man United, they’ll be back and they might end up buying Tottenham.
“He said, look, if you’ve got Manchester City owned by Abu Dhabi, you’ve got Newcastle owned by Saudi Arabia, if Qataris maybe buy Tottenham, then you’ve got three clubs who can pull away.”
Jay-Z ‘preparing bid’ for Spurs
Shock claims have emerged regarding a potential bid for Spurs by the rapper Jay-Z. The New York native, famous for his hits including ‘H to the Izzo’ and ’99 Problems’ is backed by US investors, according to the Express.
Jay-Z, who himself has a net worth of around £2billion, has dabbled in sports having previously held a share in the Brooklyn Nets basketball team while his Roc Nation empire had Manchester United star Marcus Rashford on its books.
Levy contact
Levy and PSG predident Nasser Al-Khelaifi are said to have a close relationship since QSI’s interest in buying Spurs emerged with contact reportedly being maintained.
Levy and Al-Khelaifi are said to have ‘regular exchanges’, according to L’Equipe, with the potential for a takeover to develop if PSG are sold with The Telegraph reporting that Spurs have a £3.5 billion price tag after an approach to the club in September 2021.
F1 owner hint
Greg Maffei, CEO of Formula One owners Liberty Media, has hinted that his next sporting venture could be in the Premier League. The American-based mass media company also owns the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team.
Speaking on the Walker Webcast, he said: “You mention the Premier League teams; there isn’t an asset we haven’t looked at. “That doesn’t mean we’ve been ready to buy them all but we look at everything because we do think sports in general is attractive, we do think there are upsides and do think those things that management teams have taught up can help apply perhaps in other sports situations.”
The Telegraph reported that Liberty Media have been ‘mooted by one insider’ as a potential option but they would not comment on reports.
MSP interest
The Financial Times claimed back in February last year that MSP Sports Capital chief Jahm Najafi was ‘set to launch’ a $3.75 billion (£3bn) bid for Spurs. With Najafi chairing MSP Sports Capital, he would lead an approach for the club but a consortium made up of other investors would also provide funding.
It was also reported that the other investors would be from the Middle East with MSP contributing 70% of the funds for the takeover. The Telegraph reported that Najafi, who now looks set to move for Everton, ‘was expected to table a total buyout offer’
Levy’s stance
Levy recently broke his silence on a potential takeover during a talk at the Cambridge Union in April last year. “ENIC owns approximately 87% of the club and we have 30,000 shareholders and most of them are fans who own the shares,” he said.
“We have a duty to consider any proposal anyone wants to make. “All I would say is we are not in negotiations with anybody, nor have we been in recent months.”
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