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Soccer-Tottenham Hotspur owner rejects takeover interest, insists club not for sale

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on September 8, 2025

2 min read

· Last updated: January 22, 2026

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Soccer-Tottenham Hotspur owner rejects takeover interest, insists club not for sale
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LONDON (Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur said its majority shareholder has received and rejected two preliminary expressions of interest for a possible takeover and insists the Premier League club is not

Tottenham Hotspur Majority Owner Dismisses Takeover Proposals

Tottenham Hotspur Ownership and Management

LONDON (Reuters) -Tottenham Hotspur said its majority shareholder has received and rejected two preliminary expressions of interest for a possible takeover and insists the Premier League club is not for sale.

Recent Changes in Club Leadership

Speculation about a possible change of ownership has increased since executive chairman Daniel Levy stepped down after almost 25 years in the post on Thursday.

Responses to Takeover Interest

A club statement late on Sunday said ENIC Sports & Developments Holdings Ltd had unequivocally rejected two separate preliminary expressions on interest, one from former Newcastle United shareholder Amanda Staveley's PCP International Finance Limited and another from a consortium led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited.

ENIC's Role and Ownership Structure

ENIC owns 86.5% of the club's shares.

"As a consequence of ENIC's majority ownership interest in Tottenham Hotspur, were any offer made to acquire ENIC and complete, a mandatory offer would be required under Rule 9 of the (UK Takeover) Code to acquire the shares of Tottenham Hotspur not already held by ENIC," the statement said.

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club.

"In accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the code, each of PCP and the consortium is separately required, by not later than 5pm on 5 October 2025, to either announce a firm intention to make an offer for the company in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer for the company, in which case their respective announcements will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Code applies."

The majority of ENIC is owned by British businessman Joe Lewis and his family, who also own the Tavistock Group, a private equity company.

In April, Tottenham named Vinai Venkatesham as their new chief executive, while Peter Charrington became the non-executive chairman, a newly formed role, following Levy's exit.

Announcing Levy's exit, Tottenham said there would be "no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure".

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Key Takeaways

  • Tottenham Hotspur's majority owner rejects takeover bids.
  • Speculation arose after Daniel Levy's departure.
  • ENIC Sports holds 86.5% of the club's shares.
  • Potential buyers include Amanda Staveley and a consortium.
  • No changes to ownership or shareholder structure planned.

Frequently Asked Questions

What recent changes have occurred in Tottenham's management?
Tottenham named Vinai Venkatesham as their new chief executive, while Peter Charrington became the non-executive chairman following Daniel Levy's exit.
Who owns the majority of Tottenham Hotspur?
ENIC Sports & Developments Holdings Ltd owns 86.5% of Tottenham Hotspur, with the majority owned by British businessman Joe Lewis and his family.
What did ENIC say about takeover offers?
ENIC unequivocally rejected two preliminary expressions of interest for a possible takeover and confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale.
What is the significance of Rule 9 in the UK Takeover Code?
Rule 9 requires a mandatory offer to be made if there is an acquisition of ENIC's majority ownership in Tottenham Hotspur.
What was the club's statement regarding ownership?
The Board of the Club and ENIC confirmed that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and has no intention to accept any offers to acquire its interest in the Club.

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