Expert says Spurs could take over Man United in key financial aspect
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire has explained why Tottenham Hotspur are the most attractive club on the market for Amanda Staveley and other interested parties.
Takeover talks progressing
It has been an open secret for a long time that Tottenham are on the lookout for minority investment, with Daniel Levy confirming that fact on a number of occasions over the past year.
Over recent weeks, it has been heavily reported that Amanda Staveley, who was formerly a co-owner at Newcastle, is plotting a move to buy a stake in Spurs.
Staveley is now allegedly being backed by ‘serious money’ from the Middle East and is thought to be ‘advancing on plans’ to buy around 25 per cent of the North London club (Football Insider).
Spurs very lucrative
It has also previously been reported that other investment firms, including MSP Sports Capital (Daily Mail) and Liberty Media (The Times) have also held discussions over buying a stake in Spurs.
Maguire has now explained that it is the revenue-generating potential of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that makes the club particularly attractive to potential investors.
He told TBR Football: “The stadium is now a multi-function venue that happens to host a football team. It has to be seen in that light because there is more non-football activity taking place there than there is football itself.
“So you have got to give the club a lot of credit in terms of its ability to generate relationships with a variety of partners. They will be targeting £250m this year. That is further vindication of the decision to move out of the old stadium.
“In the old stadium, commercial income in the final season was £73m. That means they will have multiplied that by three-and-a-half times in seven or eight years. That is magnificent.”
No issues for Staveley
Staveley’s plan to take over Tottenham appeared to hit a roadblock earlier this month when it emerged that her company, PCP Capital Partners, had gone into liquidation (TBR Football).
However, Maguire insisted that this will not impact the 51-year-old’s hopes of buying into Spurs.
The finance expert said regarding the latest development: “I don’t think this will have any significance in terms of minority investment. Staveley is an intermediary. She is almost like an agent figure. Her role is to bring parties together, using her very large and extensive book of contacts.
“That will be the focus here. I understand that there is certainly a lot of interest in Spurs from both the US and the Middle East. They are probably the most attractive club in play in the market at present, so you can see why that might be the case. There are no infrastructure costs required because they are class leaders in both departments.
“They are in London, so they have a fanbase that is used to paying premium prices. Matchday revenue last season was £118m. In a good season, you could expect them to potentially overtake Man United.
“So there is a lot of upside with Spurs. Staveley is someone who has a lot of experience at the executive level and a contact list to get a deal over the line.”
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