Former Sheffield Wednesday owner Milan Mandaric has told the Daily Mirror that he is only advising a consortium on taking over Aston Villa.
The big story of Aston Villa’s summer is their financial problems. Ever since their loss in the Sky Bet Championship play-off final to Fulham which made it apparent they were going to spend another year in the second tier, the club have been plunged into a huge set of problems all because they spent far too much trying to get back into the Premier League.
But some relief seemed to be coming as there was a report that a Milan Mandaric led consortium had made an approach to take over the club. Mandaric is well-known in England having been the owner of Portsmouth, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday in the past. He has a good reputation of taking over clubs in financial straits and rescuring them from the abyss though this does usually mean tight budgets and lower spending.
But when asked about this report, Mandaric has said he is not the forefront of this takeover deal. He is instead advising a consortium on the deal and will look to concentrate on his current club Slovenian side NK Olimpija Ljubljana as they prepare for their Champions League match against Qarabag FK.
He said: “Aston Villa is an historic big English club.”
“But on the other hand I just cannot really say I am making any moves at this time.”
“There is a group of people who know me quite well and if I can help them to move forward I will do this.”
“They have asked for my advice.”
“But at this time I couldn’t say I am part of a takeover.”
“I own the club here in Slovenia and we are in very serious competition in Europe and in our Championship league.”
“I have to fulfil my commitments and my duty and then sort myself out and look at other options and projects.”
“It wouldn’t be fair to this club here, and to other clubs in England, other than saying I am willing to help out at this point rather than to be part of a takeover.”