Championship outfit Barnsley are in advanced takeover talks with Chinese billionaire Chien Lee, according to the Daily Mail.
Lee, who is also the majority shareholder at French Ligue 1 side Nice, is keen to purchase the Tykes with his consortium, which includes US businessman Paul Conway, in order to expand the consortium’s commercial portfolio.
The Chinese billionaire, who made his fortune with hotel firm Plateno Group and the investment company NewCity Capital, is reportedly seeking a full buyout of the Championship club, who currently sit 17th in England’s second tier.
Nevertheless, there is still a possibility that current owner Patrick Cryne, who announced last year that he was receiving treatment for cancer, will retain a small percentage in the club.
This news will come as a boost to Tykes fans, as the consortium believe they can fund a tilt at Premier League promotion, even though they don’t intend to plough huge sums of money into the club.
This is not the first time that Lee has sought to get involved with a Championship side, with his group speaking to Brentford earlier in the year, and also having an offer for Middlesbrough rejected by Boro’s Chairman Steve Gibson.
Barnsley have had a mixed start to their campaign, losing their opening two league games, away at Bristol City and at home to Ipswich Town, before getting their first points of the season on Tuesday, beating Nottingham Forest at Oakwell. They also overcame Morecambe in the first round of the Carabao Cup earlier this month. Paul Heckingbottom’s men will be hoping to get their first away points of the season later today, as they travel to Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United.
