Wolves for sale: They're the Midlands' best buy, says expert
Wolves would present the most attractive option among West Midlands clubs to potential buyers – because they are in the Championship, an expert in football finance has claimed.
Rob Wilson, a lecturer in sports business management at Sheffield Hallam University, has studied each club's respective balance sheet and reckons Wolves' position in the second tier makes them a more interesting option than Albion and Villa to many investors.
With lower revenue streams making the club cheaper to buy, Mr Wilson believes Wolves will likely attract a bigger number of interested parties than their Premier League rivals due to the possibility of riches should they gain promotion. All three clubs are currently up for sale, with Wolves the latest to go on the market after owner Steve Morgan stepped down from the board last month.
Mr Wilson told the Express & Star: "You only need to look at the Times Rich List to see there are a lot more people who could afford to spend £50million, which is the probably the top end of the range Mr Morgan can demand, than the £100million it would need to buy a Premier League side."
Both Albion and Villa appeared close to being sold in the summer only for talks to break down, with Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace calling things off after having entered a period of exclusivity with a preferred bidder.
Mr Wilson reckons Albion's tidy finances make them attractive for anyone looking to buy a Premier League club but believes there are questions over just how much further the club could grow.
He feels Villa, meanwhile, offer the least attractive option, in part due to the £220million in liabilities owed to chairman Randy Lerner, which will push the asking price higher. "Anyone looking to buy Villa must be prepared to take a fairly hefty hit in the pocket, not only in purchase price but the money invested after," he said.
