A finance expert has now dropped a big claim on a potential takeover at Sunderland.
The Lowdown: Storey offer
As per The Daily Mail, William Storey wants to buy out all four shareholders at the Stadium of Light in a £42m deal.
The British businessman attempted to buy a controlling stake in the Wearside club back in 2020 before Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, and it is understood that the latter has rejected his advances.
However, the Madrox trio of Stewart Donald, Juan Sartori and Charlie Methven are all thought to be keen to sell up.
The Latest: Expert reacts
Speaking to Football Insider, finance expert Doctor Dan Plumley has claimed that £42m is a ‘fair price’ for the Black Cats, but the value could rise to as much as ‘£200m’ should they go all the way back up to the Premier League:
“I think it’s a fair price for where they are at the moment.
“I’ve done some digging on industry standards in the past. It’s not an exact science but all the metrics would value them at somewhere between £40m and £50m.
“That is very high for a League One club, but it is representative of their potential for growth. If they do go up, you could conceivably add another £10m or £20m onto that valuation. That would put them closer to £60m to £80m.
“So, it does vary depending on league status but the price does show the size and scale of the club.
“You have to put revenue into the mix. If they got to the Premier League, you are adding another £100m overnight. It could then become a £180m or £200m club.
“It’s got a considerable fanbase and a lot of infrastructure in place. That is why investors might be looking at them now. It’s a good proposition.”
The Verdict: Wait for final
SAFC should really be waiting until after the League One play-off final before entertaining any such offer from Storey.
If they were to get promoted up to the Championship, then the club would instantly be worth more money, and so they would need to get the highest value possible if they were to sell up.
Nonetheless, it seems as if Louis-Dreyfus will need some more persuading anyway, but it is good that they at least have options ahead of the new season.
In other news, find out who Sunderland are now courting this summer here!