Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh wants to buy football team but has very strict rule

Saudi Arabian chief Turki Alalshikh, who is known for his work in boxing, is eyeing up an English football club but has set out his demands which has ruled out several clubs

Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh is reportedly interested in buying one of two English clubs – but has ruled out going after a club in the north of the country.

Saudi already have a foothold in England having bought Newcastle several year’s ago via the PIF, which has allowed the Magpies to become a Champions League outfit. Now Alalshikh is looking to get involved amid reports he’s held talks with Millwall.

The Lions have denied that discussions were had, but former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan claims he’s had talks with Alalshikh and the Championship club are indeed on his radar.

Jordan has attempted to talk him out of a move for the south London outfit with Southampton, who were just relegated from the Premier League, also on his radar. The Saudi chief’s remit is he wants a club in England’s top two tiers, but they have to be southern-based.

Jordan told talkSPORT: “No it’s not talk, they are interested because they’ve told me. I’ve told him and tried to talk him out of Millwall because I don’t think it’s a proper football club, but that’s a different discussion.

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“But it is Millwall, and he likes Southampton. I suggested Sheffield Wednesday to him. He doesn’t want Sheffield Wednesday. He doesn’t want a club in the north. He wants a club in the south. And Millwall and Southampton are the two clubs that he thinks are interesting to him.”

Jordan also admitted that he put the idea of buying Sheffield Wednesday to him given the unrest with the club’s current ownership, but their northern location is an issue. The 43-year-old has become a prominent figure in the boxing world in recent years, brokering some of the biggest fights in the sport as the country’s riches help get certain contests over the line.

His role as chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority means he has varied business interests and he recently sold Spanish side Almeria with his attention now on landing a club in England.

The Saints narrowly avoided becoming the worst Premier League team ever during their dire season. They do now have a new manager at the helm in Will Still. Millwall meanwhile have never graced the Premier League but were pushing for the play-offs at times this term.

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