New owners for Leeds United's key Championship promotion rivals and very strong signal of intent
A takeover has been completed at a key Leeds United Championship rival.
Leeds United’s key Championship promotion rivals Sheffield United have now owners - declaring very strong Premier League intent.
The Whites and Blades have been involved in a continued tussle for leadership of the division of late, Chris Wilder’s side currently three points ahead of Daniel Farke’s Whites.
Sheffield United are looking to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt following last season’s relegation and the club now have new owners in the shape of COH Sports.
The group of successful entrepreneurs, business partners and friends was established to invest in sporting opportunities and their acquisition of the Blades was confirmed on Monday afternoon.
COH Sports is led by Steven Rosen, founder and chairman of Resilience Capital Partners, and Helmy Eltoukhy, co-founder and Chairman of biotech Guardant Health.
The pair have joined the Blades board with immediate effect, signalling the clear intent to return to the top division - and “not just on a one-off basis”.
In a statement released on the club’s website, Rosen and Eltoukhy said: “We are honoured and humbled to become the new owners of this historic football club. We are excited to embark on this journey and our work begins today to deliver long-term success for Sheffield United over a sustained period of time.
"Like all Blades fans we want to see the club competing in the top-flight of English football consistently, not just on a one-off basis, and we have been encouraged by the strong start to this season. The team has been performing strongly and we are committed to supporting the management team to continue this progress.
"We want to take this chance to assure the supporters that we understand the huge responsibility that comes with owning Sheffield United. The club is rooted in the fabric of this great city and our fans are the beating heart who back the team no matter what.
“Our fans will be at the heart of what COH stands for, and we are deeply committed to ensuring Sheffield United is accessible and affordable for our supporters."