West Bromwich Albion journalist Joe Masi has been sharing some details on the current situation at the Midlands club regarding a potential takeover.
This comes after Masi made an appearance on a recent episode of West Brom-themed podcast Baggies Broadcast where he spoke about a range of topics concerning the club.
On the subject of a potential takeover of the club from the hands of the current owner Guochuan Lai, Masi had this to say on the matter. (54.53)
He said: “I’ve said before in this podcast, I think a takeover could surprise us. I think a takeover could happen.
“We could find out tomorrow that he’s actually been in talks with someone for three months and it’s done. I don’t think that’s the case. What I think is the case is parties have expressed an interest in buying Albion and Lai’s valuation is the £200 million he paid for the club is not being met.
“He wants what he paid, the club isn’t worth that and he can’t get his money back and that’s where we understand the situation to be that there are parties interested in buying Albion, but what they’re willing to pay for the club is quite a way off what Lai wants to sell it for.”
Back in 2016, West Brom were taken over by a Chinese investment group from former chairman Jeremy Peace with Lai at the head of the deal.
TIF Thoughts on Joe Masi’s comments on a potential takeover at West Brom…
Given how it was reported back in January that there were three parties interested in purchasing the Midlands club, there’s every possibility that Lai has been quietly working in the background to come to a suitable agreement with a party to take the club off his hands.
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Whether that is the case or not, it seems that if anyone new is to take charge of West Brom anytime soon, it seems likely that they will have to help guide the club out of the Championship next season with the Baggies having spent the majority of the current Premier League season in the relegation zone.
In other news: ‘There could be a bidding war’ – Joe Masi drops big West Brom transfer claim