Is new City interest on the horizon?
Businessman Nasib Piriyev has identified Hull City as a potential target if his proposed takeover of West Ham United fails. Piriyev is fronting a Londonbased consortium - PAI Capital attempting to buy the Premier League outfit, but has so far been unsuccessful in trying to tempt David Gold and David Sullivan into doing a deal for the London club.
City have been up for sale since 2014 under owners the Allam family and are currently in discussions with Turkish media mogul Acun Ilicali, but Piriyev, in a move which could be viewed as an attempt to put pressure the Hammers hierarchy, has suggested buying
City or their stricken Championship rivals Derby County could be possible.
The Azerbaijan-born businessman, who Sullivan described as “an unsuitable custodian of the club” before adding he has “have no desire to deal with him,” retains hope that a deal can be done with the Claret and Blue outfit he says he’s supported since being a young child, though the second and final offer on the table will not be improved.
“Believe it or not West Ham is close to my heart, it’s still going to be number one in the priority list and it’s a beautiful and amazing opportunity, there is so much to be done,” Piriyev told The Athletic’s Football Podcast .
“If we look at any other club I must say it will be more pragmatic, more business (minded) approach. And it would be a smaller club, you know there is a few that are struggling.
“There is interesting opportunities around Derby, around Hull, you know there is interesting ones which you can buy and then bring up. There is so much going on.
“We feel there will be some shifts in the industry and there will be new pockets of profits potentially available for these clubs, even the whole media cashflow will probably change.
“More new channels of distribution will come in...
“There is many risks that we need to assess before making these decisions (whether to try and buy the likes of the Rams or Tigers).”
Speaking to Mark Chapman, Piriyev was asked if his group bought Derby and came up against the Hammers, where his allegiances would lie.
“Football is football, it’s irrational, you can’t control the emotions.
“It’s just crazy,” he said, declaring his support would be for United.
City’s ownership saga could be about to come to an end, with a desire on both sides to see Ilicali’s deal progress and while there remains a way to go before a deal is signed off, there’s a growing belief on the Turkish side that one can be done.