West Brom And A Takeover: NDAs, Guochuan Lai Debt And Protest After Sending 5 words Message To Fans

West Brom And A Takeover: NDAs, Guochuan Lai Debt And Protest After Sending 5 words Message To Fans

West Brom are talking to interested parties behind the scenes as Albion look for fresh investment or, preferably, a full takeover

All concerned with West Bromwich Albion are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the ongoing, behind the scenes, process that is currently taking place in the hope that a takeover can be achieved sooner rather than later.

Albion have been treading water for such an extensive period under current incumbent Guochuan Lai that, inevitably in elite football, if you don’t continue striving to move forwards then you will find yourself going backwards. Since Lai purchased Jeremy Peace’s shares in 2016, Albion have suffered two relegations from the Premier League and are currently experiencing their longest spell outside of the top flight in the 21st Century.

 

The club had to move players on in the summer to help cope without the parachute payments that they’ve relied upon for so long in the absence of actual investment from Lai, and that process will likely reignite in the January transfer window – especially if no buyer or investor is found and a deal struck by then.

 

Moreover, the club is still owed money by their own controlling shareholder, money that was due back by New Year’s Eve 2022 and is a debt which remains – if now guaranteed by Lai’s company West Bromwich Albion Holdings – unpaid. Then you have the £20million loan, borrowed from MSD with interest attached, which the club has been saddled with and will have to be paid back in the coming years having been secured against club assets.

 

On the pitch Carlos Corberan is keeping Albion as competitive as possible, but away from the field of play the Baggies’ current situation is unsustainable – and it’s now imperative, more so than ever before, that a new person or company takes over at the helm. Lai, who hasn’t been to a game for over 18 months and has never given an interview during his stewardship, will have to accept a serious cut-price offer with Albion’s value dramatically reduced.