Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh is on the verge of breaking into English football with Derby County.
According to reports, the independent football regulator is set to make a decision on Alalshikh’s investment into the Championship club next week.
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Alalshikh has transformed boxing since his involvement in the sportCredit: Getty
The Daily Telegraph’s John Percy states that the EFL have completed all the necessary background checks on the Saudi Arabian businessman.
And sources suggest that the Rams are confident that the major investment will be approved after the interest first emerged in May.
Derby have been out of the Premier League since 2008 when they recorded the worst season in Premier League history.
They managed to accumulate just 11 points and have been into League One since then as well.
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But Alalshikh is prepared to invest heavily and try to return the Rams to England’s top flight.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Alalshikh has involved himself in football, though.
He has owned Spanish club Almeria and Egyptian side Pyramids FC in the past but has been looking to invest in EFL clubs.
Alalshikh’s wealth
The latest reports suggest that Alalshikh is worth $2.8billion, and he has accumulated that wealth from various means.
He is the chairman of the Saudi GEA and is heavily involved in boxing.
Alalshikh is one of the leading figureheads in Riyadh Season, which has transformed boxing and put on some of the biggest fights in history.
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Alalshikh doesn’t lack ambition or moneyCredit: Getty
He is widely seen as the mastermind behind the ‘Battle of Britain‘ between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
A new boxing venture between he and Dana White and Frank Warren known as Zuffa Boxing has been brought into existence with big plans.
Alalashikh is also a close advisor to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.
Advice
talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan revealed last year that he advised Alalshikh on which English club to buy.
So, his interest in English football has been around for over a year now.
He actually told the Saudi supremo to buy Sheffield Wednesday.
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Derby could be set for a very bright futureCredit: Shutterstock
Speaking about that conversation in 2025, Jordan said: “If I was buying a football club and I was really motivated and had your kind of dough, I would buy Sheffield Wednesday.”
Expanding on that, Jordan said: “I told him that. We’ll see what they do; they are captains of their own ship, aren’t they?
“Be careful what you wish for. We’ve already got enough foreign investment in our football clubs, but if this is the direction of travel, that’s the way I’d go.
“It’s a big football club.
“There’s a reason why Hillsborough got used up to a point, for FA Cup semi-finals.
“But I’ve been to that club, I’ve watched it, I’ve seen the fan base. I know the Saudis can look across the city at Sheffield United and think their mate who owns that football club hasn’t had the greatest of times over there, but I think it’s a powerhouse.”
“You buy a powerhouse like Sheffield Wednesday that’s in Yorkshire, not just Sheffield, that could be garnered and pushed forward, no disrespect to [current owner, Dejphon] Chansiri, but somehow or another he’s managed to steal defeat from the jaws of victory.”
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In the end, Alalshikh chose not to take Jordan’s advice but his interest in English football never went away.
He is now one step away from adding Derby to a growing portfolio of sporting acquisitions.