Following years of speculation and two failed bids, a hierarchy change looks to be close at Bramall Lane. As reported by the Telegraph and Sheffield Star, takeover talks led by American investor Steve Rosen are nearing completion. A deal valued at £105m between current owner Prince Abdullah bin Mossad and Rosen’s consortium is reportedly imminent, and could be announced before Sunday’s Steel City Derby.
Following promotion to the Premier League in the 2018/19 season, it became increasingly apparent that Prince Abdullah’s ownership could not sustain regular top-flight football. While an incredibly successful 2019/20 season saw The Blades push for Europe, the disruption caused by COVID-19, and a 20th place finish the following season left the club in financial disrepair. A series of transfer embargoes and late payments were only resolved by another promotion in 2022/23.
2023/24 saw United needing to sell key players in order to fund their survival bid, as star players Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge were sold to Marseille and Burnley respectively. What followed was unmitigated disaster. United were relegated with a pathetic 16 points, winning only 3 of their 38 games and shattering the record for the most goals conceded in a single season. A change was sorely needed.
Although bids had been tabled for the South Yorkshire side before Rosen’s approach, they were (to say the least) questionable. Negotiations with American Henry Mauriss, now jailed for wire fraud following an FBI investigation, collapsed in 2022 while an attempt by Nigerian Dozy Mmobuosi, now charged with securities fraud by the US attorney’s office, to buy the club failed to reach EFL approval last year.
The consortium’s supposedly imminent takeover comes as The Blades, in red-hot form, begin yet another promotion push.
Harrison Burrows’ last-minute winner against Bristol City sent SUFC to 2nd place in the Championship Table, despite a 2-points deduction imposed at the season’s outset, and solidified their recovery from successive away losses to Leeds and Middlesborough.
Prospective owner Steve Rosen is reportedly keen to spend big this January, with former Bournemouth scout Des Taylor potentially set to lead a winter recruitment drive. Notable names thought to be targets include FC Midtjylland’s Oliver Sorensen, as well as former loanee Ben Brereton-Diaz, who is out of favour at Premier League Southampton. The Blades narrowly missed out on the signings of Chris Mepham, Mikey Johnston and Tom Cannon this Summer as all three players joined rival Championship clubs, so manager Chris Wilder will no doubt be keen to see new faces at Bramall Lane.
Wilder’s side will face bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday in the first Steel City Derby since 2019. The Owls look to have bounced back from their 2-6 obliteration by Tom Cleverley’s Watford, having beaten Norwich 2-0 on Tuesday. German boss Danny Rohl, mockingly named “Sausage Roll” by the Bramall Lane faithful, will be keen to secure a win in his first Derby as Wednesday manager, although the gulf in quality between the teams is apparent, with 10 points and 18 goal difference separating the two sides of Sheffield.
