Gary Neville said he is not sure if Saudi Media group’s reported £2.7billion bid to buy Chelsea will be successful considering the club’s situation.
Many, including those close to the sale, are concerned about how long the takeover would take if the Saudi Media group led by Mohamed Alkhereiji became the preferred bidder.
It is not exactly a baseless concern given Chelsea are now operating on a very tight budget based on a special licence granted by the UK government.
However, even those thinking of the likely long takeover process are more optimistic than Neville regarding the reported bid.
“There’s been a headline today [about Saudi Media group’s reportedly making a £2.7bn offer],” Neville told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football (via Football Daily).
“I’d be amazed if the Saudi Media company is allowed to buy Chelsea football club off the back of what’s happened.
“I do think there is something absolutely coming on top very quickly when it comes to fit and proper persons’ test.
“It’s not resilient, it’s not independent, it’s not transparent. We don’t know what criteria hurdle the Saudis will have to jump through to get into this country.
“I was supportive of them coming in, even though I would probably reassess that after what’s happened in the last 10 days.”
Neville may have a fair point. For Chelsea and the Premier League, another controversial takeover is the last thing they would want after suffering reputational damage in the last couple of weeks.
Obviously, the Saudi Media consortium may indeed consist of private investors, but proving that they are not in any way connected to the Saudi Arabian state or royal family will likely prove difficult.
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