Forest deal near as EFL vets new owner

Evangelos Marinakis

The deal to sell Nottingham Forest to new Greek owners is almost over the line, according to the Football League governing body the EFL

Reports over the weekend said that current owner Fawaz Al Hasawi thinks the deal is “99% complete” – news that will bring his controversial five-year reign at the City Ground to an end.

Now, the EFL has said that it assessing whether the takeover by Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis should go through.

An EFL spokesman told TheBusinessDesk.com: “A change of control at Nottingham Forest is currently being assessed by the EFL Executive within the context of our regulations. However, in line with current EFL policy, we are unable to comment on the takeovers of individual clubs.”

Al Hasawi has said he has agreed to a deal to sell to Marinakis, but the EFL has final say if it should go ahead through its owners’ and directors’ test, which it says “protects the image and integrity” of the league.

Another disappointing season for Forest ended on Sunday when they beat Ipswich Town 3-0 to secure their place in the Championship next season.

Mariankis, whose Olympiakos have just won their 44th Greek title, has been facing allegations of match fixing in his homeland for the last two years involving games that were played between 2011 and 2013.

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