Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly in advanced talks with American businessman Tilman Fertitta over a purchase of the club.
That’s according to journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon page, in a report that will be music to the ears of Owls fans should it materialise.
It would spell the end of Dejphon Chansiri’s controversial ownership of the club, which has rarely been popular but plunged to new depths in recent months over unpaid wages. Despite the positive turn, there has since been a setback reported by The Star, claiming negotiations have stalled.
We asked pundit and former professional Lee Hendrie for his thoughts on the importance of getting the agreement over the line.
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Wednesday ownership issue needs to be resolved quickly
Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Hendrie said: “Yeah, I think Sheffield Wednesday, the situation the club’s in at the moment, I think it’s so important that they get this deal done.
“We’re getting closer and closer to the start of the season, and the Chansiri era needs to end, I really do feel so.
“You know, you look at the state of the club; players leaving, manager wanted to go and was linked away, then that sort of feels like it’s been reversed.
“It needs to be sorted. For Sheffield Wednesday in these advanced talks with the American sports businessman, you feel that this is a must, must happen, I feel.
“Because going into the season with situations like this, it’s something that the club definitely don’t need.”
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Problems will snowball for Wednesday the longer their ownership saga continues
Hendrie, as a man with stronger links to the other side of the city by way of his 26 Sheffield United appearances, shows that the problems currently being faced go far beyond club allegiances; an issue no football fan wants to see any club go through.
But Hendrie highlights the issues Chansiri’s delay in selling is causing, on top of the problems his stewardship has already left in its wake.
The Owls have decided not to appeal against the notices handed in by six players who faced unpaid wages, as exclusively revealed by Football League World.
That’s alongside sales like that of Djeidi Gassama in a deal worth £2.2m, a figure lower than many believe he is worth. With many outstanding wages paid at around the same time, there is a feeling the Owls have had to agree a knockdown price to meet their obligations.
Sheffield Wednesday finishes during Chansiri era
Season
Division
Position
2014/15
Championship
13th
2015/16
Championship
6th
2016/17
Championship
4th
2017/18
Championship
15th
2018/19
Championship
12th
2019/20
Championship
16th
2020/21
Championship
24th
2021/22
League One
4th
2022/23
League One
3rd
2023/24
Championship
20th
2024/25
Championship
12th
It leaves Wednesday with a depleted squad, and even if they had money to spend to bolster their ranks, they are now faced with a transfer ban for three windows owing to the wages fallout, which is believed to include a £7k-per-week wage cap.
That greatly reduces the pool of players the Owls can approach, not to mention the difficulty in attracting professionals given the current situation at Hillsborough Stadium.
As Hendrie mentions, we are drawing closer and closer to the beginning of the season, and preparation time is running down for what is already bound to be a difficult campaign, which won’t be made any easier by a heavily disjointed pre-season.
Nobody associated with the Owls will need telling the quicker the Chansiri era is brought to an end the better, as Wednesday’s future may depend on how speedily negotiations can be finalised.