US private equity firm in talks about Championship club takeover

American consortium Resilience Capital Partners started a takeover bid to take control at English Championship club Sheffield United. A spokesman for Steven H. Rosen, who founded the group with Bassem Mansour, declined to comment on the subject.

Sheffield United currently competes in England’s second tier after a dreadful season last term in the Premier League. The Blades narrowly avoided to match Derby County’s unwanted record of 11 points as they finished with 16.

They only managed three wins during the entire campaign. In contrast, they already doubled that tally in the Championship as they’re the only undefeated side after nine rounds of games. Chris Wilder’s side currently sits second which will be enough for an automatic promotion.

Sheffield United were among the founding members of the Premier League as the team coached by Dave Bassett finished 14th in the historic 1992/93 season. They finished bottom in the following campaign in the first of their four relegation seasons in the Premier League era.

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Abdullah currently owns the club. As a member of Saudi’s royal family, he’s the founder of United World Group, which governs five clubs from around the globe. His Belgium club Beerschot signed two Saudi Arabia internationals this summer.

American group wants to bring Sheffield United back to EPL

It has been a while since he put Sheffield United on sale, however. Based on figures from when they got promoted back to the Premier League in 2023, United World Group expects $221 million to listen to offers.

The transfer ban imposed at the club due to unmet installments made Premier League life difficult for Sheffield United. But the parachute payment helped the club to assemble the fifth-most expensive squad in this season’s Championship.

Resilience Capital Partners would certainly look to invest big in January’s transfer window to bolster the club’s promotion hopes. The firm is yet to spread its wings on investing in sports.

Since its foundation in 2001, it mainly invests in manufacturing and business services in the United States. On the homepage of the investment group, it states that they target companies with $25 to $250 million in revenues.

As of right now, half of the Premier League clubs are associated with American shareholders. Arsenal’s long-time owner Stanley Kroenke, Chelsea’s controversial yet revolutionary figure Todd Boehly and Liverpool’s Fenway Sports Group are the standout examples. The more modest examples of American ownership in the Premier League include Bill Foley at Bournemouth. Also, Crystal Palace majority shareholder John Textor is American.

There is also a strong interest in buying another English club from Textor, who already owns a host of clubs in his Eagle Football Holdings umbrella. The US businessman first must sell his Crystal Palace stakes. After a failed attempt at Everton, he’s now aiming for a Championship club. Textor’s portfolio also includes clubs like Olympique Lyon in France and Brazilian side Botafogo. Textor’s ownership in those clubs has not come without controversy, but he remains active in every club that he has a stake in.

PHOTOS: IMAGO