Blues sale collapses as owners end discussions with MaxCo

The deal to sell Birmingham City to entrepreneur Paul Richardson and former player Maxi Lopez has fallen through, just weeks after the pair staged a high -profile bid for the club.

MaxCo has pulled out of its bid to take control of the club after Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited (BSHL) utilised it right to end discussions with Richardson and Lopez.

A club statement said: “As supporters will appreciate, for legal reasons, the Club is restricted in what it is able to say publicly at this time.

“The Club have been approached by other interested parties.

“We wish to reassure supporters that all and any official developments will be published on the Club’s website and official social media channels.”

A statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange from BSHL added: “The company has not entered into any agreement in relation to the disposal of its approximately 75% interest in BCP, and BCP and the Club remain subsidiaries of the company.”

Former Barcelona and AC Milan player, Maxi Lopez, along with Paul Richardson, an ex-director of Gymshark, stepped in to buy Blues after Laurence Bassini’s takeover bid collapsed in July. They arrived surrounded by press at St Andrew’s where Richardson confirmed that contracts had been exchanged and a deposit had been paid to Birmingham Sport Holdings.

In October, Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, pressed the English Football League for clarity over the “convoluted” ownership of Birmingham City Football Club.

Blues currently sit 14th in the Championship – just three points off a play-off place.

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