Air Asia boss in Hammers takeover bid
Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes is out to win control of West Ham in the next 48 hours by pledging a “significant” transfer pot for Gianfranco Zola to invest in a new team at Upton Park.
Hammers fan Fernandes is trying to hurry the deal through in time to make an impact in the January transfer window.
However, former Birmingham City owners David Gold and David Sullivan are also in the bidding war with Fernandes, and haven’t given up hope of success.
Gold and Sullivan have the experience of running Blues and would probably want the equally knowledgeable Karren Brady – who was managing director at St Andrew’s – as part of their new management team at Upton Park. In contrast, the man who owns Air Asia has no previous involvement in football, but would maintain the high level of foreign ownership in the Premier League. Read more
Tony Fernandes poised to launch takeover bid for West Ham
Fernandes, the founder and driving force behind the highly successful AirAsia airline, is a lifelong West Ham supporter and has been in sporadic talks about taking a stake in the Premier League club for several months.
Telegraph Sport disclosed in November that Fernandes had met West Ham chairman Andrew Bernhardt in Kuala Lumpur but the pair could not agree a deal. Talks have continued with, it is believed, Fernandes finally deciding that he wants to invest in the club.
Indeed it is possible that a resolution to West Ham’s ownership may be found this week even though the club’s owner, CB Holding, maintains it is in no hurry to sell. Read more
