Saudi to buy 50%??

[Kenneth]

I would rather the club was owned by skint lying cowboy yankies than Saudi Royals tbh.

[Bender]

I would rather the club was owned by skint lying cowboy yankies than Saudi Royals tbh.

It is

[Lisburn Red]

From Elsewhere:
I have spoken with a contact inside Merrill this morning & have been told this.

George Gillett is trying to sell his shares lock, stock & barrel. George Gillett has apparently been in discussions with Prince Faisal for the last four months. While Gillett was flirting with Prince Faisal, Tom Hicks was flirting with Majid Saif Al Ghurair.

What is still unclear & is probably the most important issue of all is – Is George Gillett still restrained in what he can do with regards to his 50% of the club? The people I have spoken with say he has more freedom to do what he chooses, but there are still restrictions present. For instance – if Gillett wants to sell he can, but he has to offer his shares to Tom Hicks for the price he would be getting from Prince Faisal.

So basically if Prince Faisal offers Gillett 350M for his 50% of the club – Gillett has got to offer that 50% of the club to Hicks for the same 350M.

That’s where all this gets messy. I asked the question to this chap at Merrill; what is the likelihood of Tom Hicks being able to buy up George Gillett’s shares for the price Prince Faisal offers & he categorically said “none mate.”

He said that Hicks does want out, but as ever for the right price, but Hicks’ doesn’t see 350M as a fair price for his 50%. He wants more. It was suggested to me he wants 50M-75M more to let go of his shares & that comes from people who are working for Hicks.

Hicks’ people are aware Prince Faisal is offering Gillett bucket loads of sweeteners in a different venture altogether – introducing NASCAR to the Middle East.

You also have to bear in mind - 350M won't be the price both men get real terms in the bank because the debt levels will be negotiated into the price. But a seriously big profit will be made by both men.

So as things look stand it looks this way to me.

George Gillett is very close to, if he has not already agreed a fee to sell to this Prince Faisal.

Tom Hicks is not happy, but it seems unless he can raise the same amount Prince Faisal offers, he has no choice but to accept Gillett’s sale to the Prince Faisal. (Also, if by any miracle Tom Hicks could raise the money Prince Faisal is offering, do expect Prince Faisal to up the offer until it is impossible for Hicks to match it.)

At the same time Hicks is still speaking with Majid Saif Al Ghurair about the possibility of relinquishing a percent of his shares, but the outstanding bit of news is he planned to do that along side George Gillett. My friend told me that Hicks had been in regular contact with George Gillett about the Majid Saif Al Ghurair plan & he thought it was a goer – unaware, as we all were Gillett was all along speaking to Prince Faisal.

So as things stand Tom Hicks’ plan that would see both Hicks & Gillett give up a percentage of shares to Majid Saif Al Ghurair is dead in the water. It could only have been done if both men had agreed.

Where does that leave Tom Hicks?

Well, he still has his half of the club at the end of the day. But by all accounts Prince Faisal is an aggressive mother fricker & he will do all he can to firstly, try & make Tom Hicks sell up & if he can’t do that I was told that things could turn into an Arsenal-esque situation.

I happen to think Tom Hicks will sell, but it will mean Prince Faisal has to pay more than what he is offering George Gillett because it makes no sense to me Prince Faisal coming in if he is in exactly the same situation as Hicks & Gillett currently are.

But as always time is the key & as I’ve said umpteen times before – things cannot go on indefinitely, but it does now seem a real possibility that our new owner will be Prince Faisal.

How long it takes for him to gain complete control is another question altogether.

The smart money would be on this all being done very quickly.

Not doubting the posters cred but you could nearly have related this to the same situation only with different interested parties 12 months ago alas. Let's hope this one turns out different and if available G&H take the opportunity to clear off once and for all. I cannot however do this "press F5" thing for another 3 months solid !

[Chrono]

The smart money would be on this all being done very quickly.

lol

No, it really is not

[bonzai]

Not doubting the posters cred but you could nearly have related this to the same situation only with different interested parties 12 months ago alas. Let's hope this one turns out different and if available G&H take the opportunity to clear off once and for all. I cannot however do this "press F5" thing for another 3 months solid !

Agreed. I'm not normally a complete cynic but we've all been here so many times before only for the greedy *******s to ask for even more money at the last minute and for the deal to fall apart.

Does anyone know if the Prince comes onboard(that sounds strange.....)and clears the debt, what's left for Rafa etc?

[kev776]

Out of the frying pan into the fire etc etc etc. I wonder if the Saudi is a die hard fan and only wants the best or maybe he is in it to make money. Hmmm, will take a lot to work this out.

[Dirk07]

anyone know what else f6 own?

[Slinky Skills]

Mmm, a Big Mick

""That's beautiful, what is that velvet!?"

[Tee]

"**** you, **** you, and **** you! Who's next? "

[Imy]

And the players will all have shiny wet look perms thanks to Soul Glo.

[Fierce]

I would rather the club was owned by skint lying cowboy yankies than Saudi Royals tbh.

Why?

Why would you possibly want skint liars, regardless of where they're from, than ANYBODY else?

Especially, if that anyone is stupidly rich?

[Chrono]

Why?

Why would you possibly want skint liars, regardless of where they're from, than ANYBODY else?

Especially, if that anyone is stupidly rich?

I think the suggestion is that the Saudi Royal Family are far worse than some skint cowboys regardless of how much cash they have or what they can do for the club. I tend to agree with him but football lost its soul a long long time ago.

[Tee]

I will be made up if we get the Saudi's in charge.

H&G are happy that we finish top 4 every season, but the Saudis will never settle for anything other than a serious title challenge or win every season and will back this with their finances. I know which I prefer.

[Chrono]

Don't want to cause a **** storm but this is one subject amongst many:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/wo...t/24saudi.html

[Fierce]

I think the suggestion is that the Saudi Royal Family are far worse than some skint cowboys regardless of how much cash they have or what they can do for the club. I tend to agree with him but football lost its soul a long long time ago.

Why though? I totally agree with the suggestion about the state of football, but thats just the way the world is

Whats so bad about the Saudi Royal Family?