West Brom takeover: Action for Albion issue ‘clear’ Shilen Patel update amid confusion
West Brom’s takeover race has a “clear front runner” despite confusion over which direction the situation is moving, according to Action for Albion.
The Baggies fan group reported via Twitter on 12 February to point towards the “choice of our lending partner, MSD”, which is widely reported to be Shilen Patel [The Athletic, 12 January], as the “preferred” bidder who is “confident” he will complete a buy-out of controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai.
The picture has become clouded by a difference of opinion over the status of the group led by Chris Farnell and including former Warmfront Holdings owner Alex Hearn.
Action for Albion wrote: “With regard to preferred bidder status, we believe there is a clear front runner that is the choice of our lending partner, MSD.
“It is our understanding that the person they have nominated would be the ‘preferred’ bidder and are confident that a deal will be finalised.”
Shilen Patel put forward as ‘clear’ favourite to takeover at West Brom
If this stance is is accurate then perhaps the recent confusion relating to Hearn and Warmfront’s loan to Lai is just an unnecessary muddying of the waters.
But it is perhaps inevitable that speculation will proliferate as weeks continue to pass without advances, especially since the Chinese businessman’s time as majority shareholder has rarely been straightforward or transparent.
The gravity of the situation is clear when there are major financial concerns surrounding the club, and it is fairly miraculous that Carlos Corberan is holding the situation together as well as he is on the pitch.
Patel has been characterised as an “unusual” candidate given he hasn’t got a background in sports ownership [The Athletic, 12 January], and the fact that he has MSD Holdings’ support could be framed as a positive or a negative.
But the company will want their millions in loans paid back so would logically want someone to take over who will improve the picture at The Hawthorns, and from the fans point of view that is fine as long as it isn’t via cutting corners and a fire sale of assets.
If Patel is so clearly the favourite to become the new West Brom owner then it would seem to be in virtually everyone’s best interests to make some major steps forward as quickly as possible.
In other West Brom news, Chris Lepkowski has expressed fears that a key man will never really be back now.
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