Ex-Blues director ‘eyeing takeover’ of Cats

Former Birmingham City director Sammy Yu is reportedly part of a group keen on a takeover of Sunderland AFC.

Yu, who was the Blues’ vice chairman while the club were owned by Carson Yeung, is keen to enter the world of football club ownership.

He tried to purchase Birmingham in his own right in 2013, before seeing attempts to purchase the Blues and Championship rivals Sheffield

Wednesday fall flat.

But the Sunday People claims that the investor is part of a group eyeing a takeover of Sunderland, with the Hong Kong-based group renewing their interest in the club having seen a first bid rejected.

The Black Cats are publicly up for sale after Stewart Donald announced his intention to step aside in December, with a £40million asking price reportedly placed on the club. As yet, no preferred bidder has been identified with a deal hoped to be completed by the summer.

Meanwhile, Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson believes that new signing Tommy Smith isn’t ‘too far away’ from beingabletomakehisSunderland debut.

The centre back joined the BlackCatslastweekfollowing a season-ending injury to BaileyWright,andwasanunused substitute for the visit of Bristol

Rovers on Saturday.

And Parkinson, while impressed with the fitness shown by Smith, believes he is still not at full match fitness havingbeenwithoutaclubfor several months.

Smithdidenjoysometime training with Ipswich Town in recent months but hasn’t played a competitive game in 2020. However, Parkinson is confidentthatthe29-year-old is not too far away from being able to make his mark.