Milan Mandaric, 86, to fly to UK and launch rescue bid for crisis-hit Sheffield Wednesday

Sheffield Wednesday are in turmoil under owner Dejphon Chansiri after being banned from spending for the next three windows and former owner Milan Mandaric wants to buy the club back before it is “destroyed”

Former Sheffield Wednesday chairman Milan Mandaric is set to fly back to the UK next week to bid for the troubled Owls as he claimed the financially-stricken club were in danger of being “destroyed” by current owner Dejphon Chansiri.

The 86-year-old owned the club between 2010 and 2015 before selling to Chansiri for around £37.5million and has had little involvement in football since – after previously running Portsmouth and Leicester City.

The Hillsborough club are in turmoil after being banned from spending for the next three windows after a failure to pay player wages. It caps off a turbulent decade under Chansiri’s rule that has seen a six-point deduction in 2020 for breaching the EFL’s financial rules and he has received a huge backlash from supporters.

Chansiri has already rejected a £48m bid from an American consortium, who have promised to build a 55,000-seater stadium – leading a local MP to accuse the owner of “holding the club hostage”.

Now Mandaric insists he wants to “rescue” the club from any more trouble as he admitted he would have no trouble telling it like it is when he holds talks with Chansiri.

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He told BBC Radio Sheffield: “It needs a big rescue now – all of us who love football and love Sheffield [Wednesday] have no doubt about that.

“I am going to definitely try to see him [Chansiri] with my people and be very straight in telling him that he is going to destroy the club unless he lets new people like me get involved. I’m going to meet in London, I’m arriving there next week and I’m going to talk to some people about that, I have a plan to do so.

“I have my ex-manager who was there, Paul Aldridge, and John Redgate, who all worked for me – they know what’s going on. And I want to see what could be a possibility to takeover that club. I would have to get involved if I’m going to bring somebody, I’d have to get involved myself – I have no problem with that.

“There are two things, you have to find the right person, but more importantly you have to have Mr Chansiri to agree on that – and that’s the difficult part. He doesn’t want to sell it, he’s asking a crazy price – he will never get over £100m as I understand… He’ll be an obstacle no matter what we try to do.”

Mandaric added that he sold the club to Chansiri after he “gave all the commitments that he’s got the money and the desire” but accused him of “taking the wrong direction and the wrong advice”.

In addition to the EFL charges against the Owls, separate charges have been brought against Chansiri over “non payment of wages in March 2025 and May 2025”.

Earlier this month, Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts hit out at Chansiri’s “appalling” behaviour and said: “He must accept that he needs to sell Wednesday to prevent the complete collapse of the club … we as fans deserve better.

“It breaks my heart to see the club I have followed all my life being held hostage by an owner who clearly has no interest or care for us. It is clear that Chansiri does not have the ability or resources to fund and invest in Sheffield Wednesday.”

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