Why DOES Fulham owner Khan want to buy Wembley?
THE proposed sale of Wembley reaches a crucial stage today with the FA council meeting to discuss Shahid Khan’s £1billion bid. But significant questions have been raised about what the Fulham owner wants the stadium for. Sources have indicated to
Sportsmail that, contrary to speculation, the AmericanPakistani billionaire might not want to move his NFL franchise Jacksonville Jaguars to London. It had been widely assumed in the last month that Khan’s bid was born out of a desire to make the Jaguars the first franchise based outside the US. However, it is understood that, given Khan’s significant investment in Jacksonville and the logistical difficulties involved, such a move is unlikely. Sources have said that Khan might want to own the national stadium to safeguard his ability to play the occasional home game there, in the face of competition from other franchises. It is likely he will also
see the appeal in the stadium’s ability to attract the world’s top music artists. When looking closely at Khan’s comments to local media in Jacksonville, he has repeatedly stressed his commitment to his team’s Florida base. In a video posted on the Jaguars website regarding his Wembley bid, Khan cautioned against the media ‘connecting dots that shouldn’t be connected’. And in a statement about why he wanted to buy Wembley, he added: ‘For the Jaguars, it would deliver another — and very significant — asset and local revenue source that would further strengthen our investment in London, which as everyone knows is crucial to the Jaguars’ continued sustainability in Jacksonville.’ While FA chairman Greg Clarke sought to reassure members of the council last week, writing a letter that included answers to 23 key questions, there are some who are unlikely to be convinced. Indeed, Sportsmail revealed last month that former Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards thought there might be a vote of no-confidence in the board.