EPL team to buy?

[rotatopoti3]

We are seeing many investors domestic and internationally wanting to purchase a Premier League team.  We have seen Chelsea, Manchester City, Manu and Liverpool and several others.

If you were a shrewd investor, which team would you purchase and why? Interested to get some intelligent feedback

[kev]

It depends on what criteria, but here goes.

THe stand out one for me would be Everton and I am surprised they haven't been bought out yet.  Maybe foriegn investors view Liverpool as the merseyside team and hence not bothered.  They have been seeking investors for a while, have good support, good manager and wouldn't take that much in relative terms to buy them. 

The ones that would cost mega money are Arsenal / Spurs, Manu is rumoured again with the Arabs.

Next you would probably go for best supported that wouldn't cost mega money, but in relative new ownership, Villa, Newcastle, Sunderland.

Then you have others that won't get massive support and will need hefty investment aswell, Bolton, Brum, Fulham. 

The others maybe not enough upside in terms of possible support and maybe too much of a risk.

With the Eufa financial rules coming in at the end of the season, it favours the status quo, although these only apply to teams competing in Europe.

[rotatopoti3]

Kev..thanks for your post.  I totally forgot about Everton but I agree...if you were to think of  Everton,Sunderland and Newcastle(especially has a Huge fan base)...these could definately be wise investments...

I think a ManU is like Japan..its already reached its level of optimum growth....cant see ManU going any further to be honest.

Teams like ManC and Chelsea....its hard to judge because they havent followed the normal level of growth....

If I were to invest Newcastle would be the team for me..They already have a huge stadium.here is a team that has underachieved..and so close to glory.

[kev]

There are a couple of things to be wary of Newcastle though.  They have a considerable debt, hence the sale of Carrol, Ashley didn't do a proper due diligence when he bought it and its cost him dearly.  Their support hasn't really altered a large reason for this is a lot are on 3 year season ticket deals that end this year.  Its been a strange season, and the team isn't that good.  (similar to us really).  Everton as I said above are probably the stand out for me, although they would need a stadium / rebuild.

[Jayerson]

I'd personally buy Sunderland or Newcastle. Both teams have a very loyal and huge fan base and top notch stadiums and can fight it out in Europa league and with a bit of investment be pushing for a CL spot. They're both capable of regular top 7 finishes.

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Tottenham

London: better living conditions for Euopean players, fancy and developed.
Players: Offer their big 3 better contracts and keep the stand out players
Coach: Harry will get the job done with a great team. He will have them in the top 4 every season
Academy: I not spending massive money every year so I will invest in the academy as a long term project like Barca and Arsenal and United do it.
Fans: White Hart Lane sold out for every game..any move to a 60,000 venue would be easily filled especially with new look team.

That would be my choice if I had a billion pounds to play with... Buy spurs for 400-500 and then invest the rest in Stadium enhancement or possible move and then offer contracts and a few world class players to start with to go with the big players already at the club.

[JDB]

There are a couple of things to be wary of Newcastle though.  They have a considerable debt, hence the sale of Carrol, Ashley didn't do a proper due diligence when he bought it and its cost him dearly.  Their support hasn't really altered a large reason for this is a lot are on 3 year season ticket deals that end this year.  Its been a strange season, and the team isn't that good.  (similar to us really).  Everton as I said above are probably the stand out for me, although they would need a stadium / rebuild.

Which is a major problem. You would want ot get a team with a modern stadium and potential for huge gates. As we see with Chelsea dn Mancity once a club starts buying big players, being successful and making CL their global brand will grow.

A club like Bolton  is cheap and has a good stadium but has a small fan base.

Spurs is one of the best run clubs, has a fan base and a big name but getting a new stadium will be expensive.

Your Sunderland is actually the club that first come to mind for me. Modern stadium that they have the chance to fill if they could make it into Europe regularly. Aston Villa is also a sleeping giant if it was to get an investor with deep enough pockets.

Other than those the best options are actually outside the premier league Leeds still has more potential than any of the Boltons and Blackburns. They have unkown owners with Ken bates fronting them right now. I suspect these are a group taking a punt on selling Leeds on for a big profit soon.

[Football supporter]

Spurs would be a sure thing. They have planning permission to build a new stadium, shopping centre and housing at White Hart Lane....big advantage is that Spurs have owned the entire development land for over 25 years...maybe a lot longer.

However, I feel West Ham would be a shrewd investment. London club and have a nice new stadium to play in with facilities for other sports income. No big teams in East London. Plus, Stratford/Hackney will be the new cool place to live after the Olympics, with the opportunity to attract newer, richer supporters.

Also, Villa/Birmingham have a huge catchment area, so they're possibles too!

[kev]

There are a couple of things to be wary of Newcastle though.  They have a considerable debt, hence the sale of Carrol, Ashley didn't do a proper due diligence when he bought it and its cost him dearly.  Their support hasn't really altered a large reason for this is a lot are on 3 year season ticket deals that end this year.  Its been a strange season, and the team isn't that good.  (similar to us really).  Everton as I said above are probably the stand out for me, although they would need a stadium / rebuild.

Which is a major problem. You would want ot get a team with a modern stadium and potential for huge gates. As we see with Chelsea dn Mancity once a club starts buying big players, being successful and making CL their global brand will grow.

A club like Bolton  is cheap and has a good stadium but has a small fan base.

Spurs is one of the best run clubs, has a fan base and a big name but getting a new stadium will be expensive.

Your Sunderland is actually the club that first come to mind for me. Modern stadium that they have the chance to fill if they could make it into Europe regularly. Aston Villa is also a sleeping giant if it was to get an investor with deep enough pockets.

Other than those the best options are actually outside the premier league Leeds still has more potential than any of the Boltons and Blackburns. They have unkown owners with Ken bates fronting them right now. I suspect these are a group taking a punt on selling Leeds on for a big profit soon.

He's anything but unknown, if he told me it was daylight I would walk to the nearest window to check.

Sold Chelsea, bought Leeds went bust, owed tax man millions, bought them through another company again (barbados or similar), caused a lot of hassle.  Recently let it slip he "owns them" which went back on later.