Tottenham Hotspur have been backed to ‘agree a takeover deal’ in a repeat of INEOS’ purchase of Manchester United on one condition.
Spurs have been heavily linked with a potential takeover over the past year and there has been more talk over a deal following the shock exit of former club chief Daniel Levy.
The Premier League side have attracted interest from several potential suitors, but the club’s owners have swiftly shut down speculation of a takeover.
Now, football finance expert Stefan Borson has insisted that the north London side have “not” been “bluffing” over their takeover stance after making a clear “statement”.
“It increasingly looks like they’re not bluffing,” Borson told Football Insider.
“Getting rid of Rothschild’s as your advisor is a statement that you’re not really engaging and you don’t really want to sell, which is consistent with what they’ve said publicly.
“I mean, they have been pretty blunt about that desire for certainly the Lewis family side of things to keep the asset to keep the ownership.
“They’re very visible now at games home and away, so I think you can start to take them on face value that they’re not really looking for a buyer.”
However, Borson could also see Spurs’s owners pulling off a repeat of INEOS’ deal with Man Utd if they are allowed to remain in control of the club.
“I still think that if somebody could put an offer together for Daniel Levy’s part of ENIC given that there’s clearly been a fallout there, I think that would start to make some sense, where you brought in very much like Sir Jim Ratcliffe at United, you brought in a 25 per cent shareholder,” Borson added.
“I mean, it wasn’t quite the same with Manchester United, but a 25 per cent shareholder comes in to partner with the majority owner.
“I don’t think the Lewis’s are showing that they would be prepared to take a backseat in the way that the Glazers have, and that again will go to value.
“But there may well be a minority owner that is interested in taking 25 per cent of Tottenham and going from there, maybe with a plan over the next few years to build up to 50 per cent, then 75 per cent, and then full ownership. I think that’s feasible.
“If the Lewis’s don’t want to sell, then it does look like it’s difficult for Daniel Levy and his family to remain as a relatively small minority. That does look like something that they’re going to want to work their way out of and take the money.”