SUNDERLAND have confirmed a takeover by 22-year-old Kyril Louis-Dreyfus whose dad and mom are value £4.2BILLION.
Mackems proprietor Stewart Donald has been trying to find a purchaser for months and has lastly agreed a deal to promote.
Sunderland have confirmed an settlement has been reached for 22-year-old Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to takeover the membershipCredit score: Getty Photos – Getty
Makems proprietor Stewart Donald has agreed to promote his controlling stakeCredit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Paperwork have been submitted to the EFL who nonetheless must ratify the deal.
But when they rubber stamp the sale, Dreyfus will change into chairman of the Weirsiders – who’re eleventh in League One – early in January.
Dreyfus is the son of Robert Louis-Dreyfus – former CEO at Adidas and majority shareholder Marseille.
And the household’s huge wealth originates from Kyril’s great-great grandfather Leopold – who beginning promoting wheat in France earlier than the household enterprise diversified into oil and transport.
Donald stated: “It’s been no secret that I’ve been in search of a while to search out the appropriate particular person to take Sunderland ahead and in the course of the course of the final 12 months there have been a variety of completely different folks eager to take over.
“Nonetheless, regardless that it’s a matter of public report that a few of these bidders supplied me extra money, I felt that they supplied much less to the membership and to the group.
“Whereas from the early conferences with Kyril, his household and advisers, I’ve been tremendously impressed with their information and understanding, discovered over a protracted interval as homeowners of main soccer golf equipment in Belgium and France.
“I imagine that have, mixed with plan, will present a platform for the membership to progress and I sit up for watching that progress from afar.”
Louis-Dreyfus stated: “First, I wish to thank Stewart Donald for his integrity and reasonableness during the last three months, which has led to me having the chance to take a controlling stake in Sunderland AFC.
“I’m totally conscious of the efforts undertaken by the present possession and board to guard the viability of the membership and respect the issue of this activity, given Sunderland’s latest previous and the present financial local weather.
“We respectfully await the EFL’s approval for this transaction.
“Nonetheless it might be remiss of me at this stage to not emphasise what an unlimited honour it might be for me to change into concerned with such a historic membership, in a metropolis famend for its wealthy soccer tradition going again to 1879.
“Many will concentrate on my household connections to the business and, in buying Sunderland AFC, I perceive the accountability that’s positioned upon me because the custodian of the membership’s future.
“Shifting ahead, we have now a long-term technique which integrates Sunderland’s proud traditions with a contemporary construction and method.
“We are going to search to be on the frontier of analysis and innovation in all efficiency domains and place nice emphasis on participant growth and the workforce’s fashion of play.
“We wish to create a workforce that’s entertaining to look at and that embodies the spirit and the tradition of those that attend, thereby reconnecting the workforce with its fanbase, whose help shall be so important to our success.
“Within the midst of a world pandemic, we must always all concentrate on the tough state of affairs the membership is at present in and the challenges we face within the months to return.
“Nonetheless, by way of laborious work, a diligent plan and togetherness from the board of administrators, employees, gamers and supporters we are able to between us create a brighter future on the Stadium of Gentle.
“If all of us play our components, I firmly imagine we are able to restore Sunderland AFC to the highest tier of English soccer and I can’t wait to get began.”
