| New owners at Manchester City?
From the BBC -
Former Manchester City full-back Ray Ranson has made a £90m offer to buy the club, reports BBC Radio Manchester.
Ranson, who has previously tried to buy Aston Villa, made the move on Monday.
The bid covers the club's shares, loans of about £24m to major shareholders John Wardle and David Makin and debts to other creditors.
Ranson, who is thought to have the backing of other businessmen, is said to be prepared to provide a transfer kitty of around £20m for new players.
Reports in on Monday claimed former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who failed in a bid for Liverpool in 2004, was interested in buying City with partners from China and the Middle East.
But it appears Ranson has made a firm offer for the club, who have been the subject of takeover rumours.
Chairman Wardle admitted earlier this month that the club was in talks with potential investors.
Ranson, who also played for Birmingham, Newcastle and Reading, made over 200 appearances for City, where he started his career.
The 46-year-old multi-millionaire made his fortune from insurance and from football finance and has also invested in football analysis company Prozone.
He made two bids for Villa before the Midlands club were bought by American billionaire Randy Lerner.
City are expected to react to Ranson's offer within the next 48 hours.
If they were to change hands City would become the fifth Premiership club to be sold in the last year - but the first to stay under British control.
Portsmouth, Villa, West Ham and Liverpool have all been taken over by foreign investors since last summer.
Over to our sports correspondant in the North West (Crocker)......."So is this good news?" |