{"id":313795,"date":"2025-08-03T06:05:40","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T06:05:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/313795\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T06:05:40","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T06:05:40","slug":"saudi-billionaire-turki-alalshikh-asked-me-which-english-football-club-to-buy-i-named-efl-team-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/313795\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh asked me which English football club to buy, I named EFL team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh is plotting a blockbuster purchase of an English football club, talkSPORT\u2019s Simon Jordan revealed in April.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Alalshikh, who is the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia<\/a>, has poured millions into the hosting of high-profile sporting events in his homeland.<\/p>\n

\"Simon<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Simon Jordan revealed details of his discussions with Alalshikh after they met in personCredit: @Turki_alalshikh on X<\/p>\n

Boxing, MMA<\/a>, WWE<\/a>, Formula 1 and LIV Golf<\/a> are now regular attractions in Saudi Arabia, with the grandeur of football\u2019s World Cup taking place there in 2034.<\/p>\n

Alalshikh’s vision of global supremacy across the sporting landscape has shown no signs of slowing down, according to Jordan, who revealed the billionaire\u2019s plans to invest in English football.<\/p>\n

Jordan, who himself is no stranger to football ownership following his stint in charge of Crystal Palace<\/a>, had been linked with a takeover of Championship side Sheffield Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, Jordan quickly poured cold water on those suggestions before revealing the details of recent discussions with Alalshikh<\/a>, who is worth a rumoured \u00a32.14billion.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but it\u2019s a club that I always speak about because I look at it and wonder why it\u2019s languishing,\u201d Jordan replied when asked if there was any truth in the rumours linking him with a return to football at Hillsborough.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have any burning ambition. I didn\u2019t have fun the first time round with a club I loved, but what I do have is a huge amount of knowledge about failure and success.”<\/p>\n

He continued: \u201cI had the same conversation, without being too indiscreet, with Turki Alalshikh, because they are looking around at other things to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhilst I would prefer English clubs to be owned by English people because I\u2019ve got a great pride in my own country, that ship has sailed, that horse has bolted.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when I\u2019m asked by these guys \u2018What English football club would you advocate for us to buy?\u2019 I said if you\u2019re not going to buy one of the legacy clubs of which there\u2019s three in this country \u2013 Liverpool<\/a>, Arsenal and Manchester United<\/a> \u2013 the next one down the rank is Tottenham, see if you can get a deal out of Daniel [Levy] for that because that\u2019s a spaceship that needs a new captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I was buying a football club and I was really motivated and had your kind of dough, I would buy Sheffield Wednesday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Alalshikh<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Alalshikh has been at the centre of the biggest sporting events in recent memoryCredit: Mark Robinson\/Matchroom\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

The billionaire has surrounded himself with the biggest names in sportCredit: Mark Robinson\/Matchroom<\/p>\n

Asked to clarify if those conversations did indeed take place, Jordan doubled down, saying: \u201cI told him that. We\u2019ll see what they do; they are captains of their own ship, aren\u2019t they?<\/p>\n

\u201cBe careful what you wish for. We\u2019ve already got enough foreign investment in our football clubs, but if this is the direction of travel, that\u2019s the way I\u2019d go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sheffield Wednesday were a mainstay for much of the early Premier League years but were relegated during the 1999\/2000 season after finishing 19th in the table.<\/p>\n

The Owls have since struggled to find their way back to the promised land, something neighbours Sheffield United<\/a> have achieved on multiple occasions since.<\/p>\n

Despite a recent spell in the third tier, Sheffield Wednesday remains one of English football\u2019s big names, according to Jordan, who explained why the club is an attractive proposition for a prospective buyer.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause it\u2019s got scale, it\u2019s a big football club,\u201d he explained. \u201cThere\u2019s a reason why Hillsborough got used up to a point, for FA Cup semi-finals.<\/p>\n

\"Jordan<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Jordan believes Sheffield Wednesday would be an attractive proposition for Alalshikh<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I\u2019ve been to that club, I\u2019ve watched it, I\u2019ve 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\u2019t had the greatest of times over there, but I think it\u2019s a powerhouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you got that right, as I said to him, they\u2019d put a statue of you in the town.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you buy a London football club, and they\u2019re thinking of a couple, I\u2019m not going to tell you who they are, you\u2019ve got a whole wrath of challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou buy a powerhouse like Sheffield Wednesday that\u2019s in Yorkshire, not just Sheffield, that could be garnered and pushed forward, no disrespect to [current owner, Dejphon] Chansiri, but somehow or another he\u2019s managed to steal defeat from the jaws of victory.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are very bright people and not just because they have a few quid. What they are doing is kicking the tires, asking people questions, getting everyone around them, whether it\u2019s me, Frank Warren<\/a> or Eddie Hearn<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Wednesday's<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Wednesday’s players have boycotted their friendly against Burnley on SaturdayCredit: GettySheffield Wednesday finances<\/p>\n

Four months later, there may not be a better time to rescue the Owls, who remain under an EFL transfer embargo<\/a>\u00a0for unpaid transfer fees.<\/p>\n

Wednesday’s players have also refused to play in a friendly against Burnley<\/a> this weekend after not receiving their July wages on time.<\/p>\n

Owner Chansiri is understood to be trying to sell the troubled Championship side.<\/p>\n

Since his takeover in 2015, Wednesday have been sanctioned on multiple occasions due to their finances.<\/p>\n

A transfer embargo in 2017 for breaching profit and sustainability rules was followed by a points deduction ahead of the 2020\/21 campaign for financial breaches.<\/p>\n

\"Owner<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

Owner Dejphon Chansiri failed to pay his players and coaching staff on time this weekCredit: Getty<\/p>\n

Another embargo followed for late payments to staff and players last year, before the current sanctions were imposed.<\/p>\n

As a result of those restrictions, the Owls are yet to make any new signings this summer.<\/p>\n

However, 14 players have departed, with the majority having done so after their contracts expired or they were terminated by mutual consent.<\/p>\n

There are no growing concerns within the EFL over whether the Owls will be able to fulfil their season opener.<\/p>\n

The club are set to visit Leicester at the King Power Stadium in less than two weeks on August 10.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

7<\/p>\n

The EFL are concerned the Owls will be unable to fulfil their Championship openerCredit: GettyWho is Sheffield Wednesday’s manager?<\/p>\n

Former manager Danny Rohl\u00a0left Hillsborough by mutual consent<\/a>\u00a0on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

He has since been replaced by his assistant manager, Henrik Pedersen, who signed a contract extension earlier this month.<\/p>\n

talkSPORT’s Sheffield correspondent, Alan Biggs, said: \u201cYeah, this in itself is not a surprise, but it’s again a product of the mismanagement at the top of the club. <\/p>\n

\u201cDanny Rohl\u00a0leaving is perhaps the least seismic shock that Sheffield Wednesday have suffered this summer because it was always on the cards. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s been on the cards since about January or February because of his complete fallout with the owner, Dejphon Chansiri, who’s had a habit of falling out, not only with managers, but with key members of staff at Sheffield Wednesday. It’s just a familiar story.<\/p>\n

What is going on at Morecambe and Sheffield Wednesday? <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just a case of how he was going to extricate himself from this tangle. And yet again, Sheffield Wednesday, under this ownership, have seen an asset depart and become valueless at the end of the day. You know, players have gone, had their contracts cancelled for which offers have been refused by Chansiri. Players have gone for undervalue.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople like Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba, as well, have gone for less than the club should have realised. And really, it’s just a story of chaos and appalling decision-making from the top.<\/p>\n

\u201cMismanagement is not too strong a word for it. Total mismanagement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve never seen a situation or a club like this crumble in football to this extent. It’s simply a disgrace. <\/p>\n

\u201cA disgrace on football because for football to be powerless to act on a situation like this is utterly outrageous in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh is plotting a blockbuster purchase of an English football club, talkSPORT\u2019s Simon Jordan revealed…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48722,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8817],"tags":[748,393,4884,1620,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-313795","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sheffield","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-sheffield","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114963331593485340","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=313795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/313795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=313795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=313795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=313795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}