Shahid Khan is confident that he will secure control of London’s Wembley Stadium by August and has moved to assure fans that he will not seek a quick sale of the iconic venue.
It emerged last week that Khan, who owns NFL American football team the Jacksonville Jaguars, has submitted an offer to buy Wembley from the English Football Association. The offer is said to be worth at least £500m, with the FA set to retain rights to Club Wembley, the venue’s debenture and hospitality business which is said to have a value of around £300m.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme, Khan said that it is “key” that Wembley retains rights to England national team matches and the FA Cup semi-finals and final.
On the suggestion that he may seek a quick sale of the venue, Khan added: “I don’t look at that possibility (selling). That’s not in the plan or my intentions.
“It’s like when you buy something, you’re buying it for a long time. We would be trying to run a stadium, adding more events, adding value and revenue and improving the experience and quality of life for all the people around it. This has been a deliberate process over time. I came to the conclusion with the FA this would be a win-win situation for all the parties.
“For it’s about certainty, the Jaguars have played there every year for five years and this will give us a certainty of a home away from home. It would also do a lot of good things for the FA, letting them focus and investing in the grassroots with the goal of winning the World Cup.”
Image: M(e)ister Eiskalt
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