Post by Macmoish on Oct 5, 2010 11:02:16 GMT
Standard
Tycoon Vijay Mallya close to buying into QPR
Julian Bennetts
05.10.10
Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya is negotiating to buy a "significant" percentage of Queens Park Rangers in a deal which could see Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone leave the club.
Standard Sport understands talks have been going on for more than a month and sources suggest an agreement with the businessman, who is worth around £900million, could be reached within two weeks.
Mallya is chairman of the United Breweries Group, which owns Kingfisher Beer, and it is thought Kingfisher will become one of the club's principal sponsors if the deal is struck.
He already has sporting interests as he owns the Force India Formula One team and Indian Premier League cricket outfit, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and was linked with a move for QPR two years ago.
That approach fell through but with Briatore and Ecclestone both keen on severing their ties with the club after taking a backseat role in February, a deal is now more likely.
Briatore was widely criticised for his hands-on approach to running QPR during his two-and-a-half years as chairman, in which he appointed 10 different managers.
The controversial Italian stepped down from his role in February after coming under intense pressure from fans, and is now thought to have decided to sell his shares, as the supporters would not welcome him back at Loftus Road.
The family of Lakshmi Mittal, the world's fifth-richest man, are now in charge of the Championship leaders.
Mittal's son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, is vice-chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd - the company that owns the club - with business associate Ishan Saksena the chairman. Mittal has a fortune of more than £18billlion and Mallya's arrival would cement QPR's status as one of the world's richest clubs.
That partnership would give Neil Warnock even greater financial clout in the transfer market although he has so far stuck to a policy of working with bargain signings. These include Jamie Mackie, who has scored eight goals since a £150,000 move from Plymouth in May.
However, the manager will have every reason to splash out next summer if QPR win promotion to the Premier League.
www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23884824-tycoon-vijay-mallya-close-to-buying-into-qpr.do
Tycoon Vijay Mallya close to buying into QPR
Julian Bennetts
05.10.10
Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya is negotiating to buy a "significant" percentage of Queens Park Rangers in a deal which could see Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone leave the club.
Standard Sport understands talks have been going on for more than a month and sources suggest an agreement with the businessman, who is worth around £900million, could be reached within two weeks.
Mallya is chairman of the United Breweries Group, which owns Kingfisher Beer, and it is thought Kingfisher will become one of the club's principal sponsors if the deal is struck.
He already has sporting interests as he owns the Force India Formula One team and Indian Premier League cricket outfit, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and was linked with a move for QPR two years ago.
That approach fell through but with Briatore and Ecclestone both keen on severing their ties with the club after taking a backseat role in February, a deal is now more likely.
Briatore was widely criticised for his hands-on approach to running QPR during his two-and-a-half years as chairman, in which he appointed 10 different managers.
The controversial Italian stepped down from his role in February after coming under intense pressure from fans, and is now thought to have decided to sell his shares, as the supporters would not welcome him back at Loftus Road.
The family of Lakshmi Mittal, the world's fifth-richest man, are now in charge of the Championship leaders.
Mittal's son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, is vice-chairman of QPR Holdings Ltd - the company that owns the club - with business associate Ishan Saksena the chairman. Mittal has a fortune of more than £18billlion and Mallya's arrival would cement QPR's status as one of the world's richest clubs.
That partnership would give Neil Warnock even greater financial clout in the transfer market although he has so far stuck to a policy of working with bargain signings. These include Jamie Mackie, who has scored eight goals since a £150,000 move from Plymouth in May.
However, the manager will have every reason to splash out next summer if QPR win promotion to the Premier League.
www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23884824-tycoon-vijay-mallya-close-to-buying-into-qpr.do
;D ;D
