Latest Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive brings you what is being said amid claims that at least one top flight club is trying to strike it rich with Saudi money
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is seen in attendance during the UFC Fight Night event at Kingdom Arena
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is seen in attendance during the UFC Fight Night event at Kingdom Arena
At least one team in the Premier League are trying to lure Saudi Arabian billionaire Turki Alalshikh into investment, according to a report.
Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol says clubs are turning to Saudi in a bid to strike it rich.
Alalshikh has a number of business interests and has transformed the sport of boxing by putting on a host of incredible shows in the Middle East.
He has also revived Ring Magazine and has become the most powerful person in the sport. He is yet to invest in English football but according to Solhekol, there are clubs that are hoping to catch his eye.
He said: "Championship clubs and at least one Premier League club have approached Saudi Arabian billionaire Turki Alalshikh seeking investment.
"The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority has a wide range of business interests but has never invested in English football.
"That could be about to change with a growing number of Championship clubs attempting to attract Saudi investors to help them win promotion to the Premier League.
"Alalshikh has become one of the most influential powerbrokers in sport after staging some of boxing's biggest bouts.
"Until last week he also owned Spanish club Almeria. He bought them in a £20m deal in the summer of 2019. Ownership of the club was transferred to Saudi investment group SMC last Friday."
Alalshikh's net worth stands at £2.1bn and while that pales into comparison to the worth of Aston Villa owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, another billionaire in the Premier League will only intensify competition at the top end of the table.
With Ineos' Jim Ratcliffe taking his billions to Manchester United and Newcastle now being owned by a consortium led by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, the fight for Premier League supremacy is increasing.
Clubs outside the traditional big six are hoping to attract the kind of cash that can help give them the finances needed to compete for trophies and gatecrashing the Champions League.
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