Hull City takeover deal nears the goal

THE owners of Hull City football club have confirmed that this weekend’s match against Manchester United will be their last before the club is sold.

Ehab Allam, who has been standing in for his father Assem who is seriously ill, wrote to fans in the matchday programme on Saturday (27 August).

He acknowledged reports that they had been in takeover talks and said they were at an “advanced stage” with a deal agreed and due diligence underway.

Mr Allam said: “We have enjoyed our time as custodians of the Tigers but we appreciate that, as with Steve [former manager Steve Bruce], we have taken the club as far as we can.

“The time has come for new owners to come in and take over from us and we hope to have more information for you all on that in the near future.

“At this point, we do believe that today could be our last game as owners of this football club.”

It has been reported that the consortium set to acquire the club is led by Chinese commercial property investors Hawken Xiu Li, a millionaire businesswoman and her brother Dai Yongge.

Their company Renhe Commercial Holdings also owns Bejing Renhe, a Chinese second division club.

Hull City was acquired by the Allam’s in 2010 until the Football Association denied requests to change the club’s name to Hull Tigers. The club has been up for sale since then.

Earlier this month the family’s company Allamhouse reported that the club’s sales fell £25m on the year before due to relegation to the Championship last year.

On making a triumphant return to the Premier League, defeating Leicester City 2-1 in their opening match as well as Swansea in their second. Their latest Premier League match against Manchester Utd on Saturday ended in a 1-0 loss.

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