Blades asking price reveals major stumbling block in takeover race

Prospective investors are being deterred from completing a takeover of Sheffield United by the Championship team’s high asking price.

Alan Nixon claims that Prince Abdullah, the Blades’ present owner, has set a £110 million sale price, and the team is aiming for an instant Premier League return.

Leading the pack in the current acquisition competition is an American consortium headed by Steve Rosen, a businessman who co-founded Resilience Capital Partners in Cleveland.

The Blades have been for sale since May 2023, according to Bloomberg, but more than a year later, Prince Abdullah has not closed a deal to sell his team.

Meanwhile, potential purchasers are discouraged by the hefty asking price that the Blades’ present owner has set such as the Rosen-led collaboration, to make a proposal.

The South Yorkshire outfit have enjoyed a strong start to the Championship season, and are the only EFL side who remain unbeaten this campaign.

Furthermore, Chris Wilder’s men would be top of the second tier table, above current league leaders Sunderland, if they had not been subject to their two-point deduction.

Prince Adbullah’s high asking price makes sense given the Blades’ strong run, which suggests they will likely play in the Premier League the next season provided they can keep up their momentum.

However, according to Sky Sports, owner Shilen Patel acquired West Brom in a takeover deal valued at £60 million back in February, making them rivals for promotion.

Those in the running to acquire the Blades might question why they need to spend more than £100 million to acquire the South Yorkshire team in light of the recent Baggies transaction.

Blades supporters may be concerned by takeover latest

Above all else, football fans up and down their country want to see their club in a stable position, so news that the asking price set by Prince Adbullah is putting off potential buyers is not what Blades supporters will want to hear, given that their club has reportedly been up for sale for almost 18 months.

Furthermore, the South Yorkshire outfit have faced two relegations from the Premier League in the last four seasons, and are establishing a reputation as a yo-yo club.

The Bramall Lane faithful would love to see their club in a position where they can sustain top-flight football, while a completed takeover deal could help them do just that.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg revealed that Rosen’s consortium, who are currently in pole position to purchase the Blades, are planning on investing in Wilder’s squad during the January transfer window, in an effort to bolster their promotion chances.

Given that the South Yorkshire outfit already boast the likes of Kieffer Moore, who won promotion from the Championship with both Ipswich Town and Bournemouth in recent years, as well as exciting youngster Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, on loan from Crystal Palace among their ranks, further investment in January could make them very well equipped for a promotion push at the business end of the season.

However, with such a high asking price in place from Prince Abdullah, an imminent takeover deal arguably seems unlikely now.