Saudi Boxing Promoter Turki Alalshikh Preparing Formal Bid For English Football Club

Saudi billionaire Turki Alalshikh is preparing a bid to buy one of the Championship's most in-form clubs, according to reports.

Alalshikh, who is the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority and controls some of the biggest fights in boxing, has been actively exploring the possibility of purchasing a team in England.

Earlier this year, the 44-year-old sparked speculation over a potential takeover of London-based Championship side Millwall after he commented on a post from the club's main social media channel.

A short time later and former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan suggested Alalshikh was interested in buying Millwall.

But on Sunday, journalist Alan Nixon reported via his Patreon that the boxing promoter is now preparing a bid to purchase fellow Championship outfit Bristol City from the Lansdown family.

Turki Alalshikh pictured alongside Jason Statham during Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury 2. Image credit: Getty

Steve Lansdown, who became Bristol City's chairman in 2002 and has since invested around £280 million into the club, played down any potential takeover in February. "We're not close," he said.

But the mega-rich Alalshikh will be hoping to persuade Lansdown, who said in 2022 that he was looking for new investors to help the club progress and even suggested he could sell for the "right deal".

Simon Jordan on what he's heard about Turki Alalshikh buying an English team

Back in May, Jordan confirmed Alalshikh's interest in buying Millwall, while also naming the recently-relegated Southampton as a club of interest.

Speaking on talkSPORT, the former chairman was asked if rumours about Alalshikh and Millwall were true.

"No it's not talk, they are interested because they've told me," he said. "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. But it is Millwall, and he likes Southampton."

Jordan also revealed that he suggested Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday to Alalshikh, but the Saudi adviser turned his nose up at the idea. "He doesn't want Sheffield Wednesday," Jordan confirmed.

"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. It's not me breaching confidence - he's asked me to say that."

Alalshikh, who has an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion, has history when it comes to football ownership.

Alalshikh serves as an adviser at the Royal Court under the rank of Minister and as Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority. Image credit: Getty

He was the owner and president of Spanish second-tier side Almeria until recently, when ownership of the club was transferred to Saudi investment group SMC on May 16.

Alalshikh also owned Egyptian club Pyramids from 2018 to 2019, and served as Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun’s honorary president.