A billionaire candidate who looked at buying the club has reportedly made his decision on completing a takeover of Sheffield Wednesday, as their initial deadline nears.

Sheffield Wednesday near initial deadline

Whether it was optimistic or not, Sheffield Wednesday’s co-administrator Kris Wigfield initially set a soft deadline of December 5 to find a preferred bidder for the club. That is just one day away, however, and it seems unlikely that the Owls will have their answer in the next 24 hours.

Instead, it’s been a frustrating week. The club has been dealt an additional six-point deduction thanks to the lingering consequences of Dejphon Chansiri’s ownership and must already turn their focus towards Championship relegation and a campaign in League One next season.

After a decision that only adds salt to their wounds, Wednesday will hope to see some progression regarding their takeover sooner rather than later.

On that front, several rumours have emerged about a number of interested candidates and one report even claimed earlier this week that some parties may choose to put a joint bid together.

It would be quite the move to match the Owls’ £30m valuation, but whether that move is deemed acceptable by Begbies Traynor remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, reports have also claimed that Mike Ashley has already seen one offer rejected for the club, having fallen below Sheffield Wednesday’s valuation. The former Newcastle United owner is one of interested candidates, albeit one who is yet to match other bidders.

However, the same can’t be said for Anders Holch Povlsen, who has dealt those at Hillsborough a frustrating blow with his latest verdict on buying the club.

Povlsen makes Sheffield Wednesday takeover decision

According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, as relayed by The Star, Povlsen is not among the final candidates to buy Sheffield Wednesday. The Dane may have taken a look at the club, but has decided against putting his name in the hat ahead of the Owls’ crucial decision.

For those at Hillsborough, his interest would certainly have been welcomed. Povlsen already owns Midtjylland and a Forbes profile claimed his estimated networth was $11.3 billion (£8bn) in 2022.

Simon Jordan reveals Sheffield Wednesday "consortium" as next takeover step shared

The Owls have set a soft deadline of December 5.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 28, 2025

The 53-year-old inherited a majority stake in ASOS and is reported to be the largest individual private landowner in the UK thanks to his land in the Scottish Highlands. So, to say that money is not an issue would be a major understatement.

Alas, it’s not just his money that made Povlsen an attractive takeover candidate before he decided against a move. The Dane also ticks the box for experience in the world of football – something other rumoured candidates do not have. In many ways, he was the ideal man for the job, but Wednesday must now look elsewhere.

Sheffield Wednesday candidates now considering shock move to complete takeover

They left Maheesh Theekshana out against Bangladesh, as rapid, round-arm and two-arm bowlers unsettled the opposition

Andrew Fidel Fernando14-Sep-20252:42

Maharoof: SL didn’t transition well after golden generation left

If you doubt things have shifted for Sri Lanka, please consider that before they had stepped on to the field in the Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Saturday, they had decided to leave out their mystery spinner.For Sri Lanka men’s earliest T20I teams, mystery spinners were vital. Muthiah Muralidaran had the killer doosra, Ajantha Mendis had batting orders wrapped around his fingers, Akila Dananjaya was picked from obscurity at age 18 for a World Cup campaign, Sachithra Senanayake, Tharindu Kaushal… you get the picture. Even Rangana Herath had a carrom ball.So central was mystery spin to strategy that Sri Lanka’s captains would even occasionally hide mystery spinners during group matches to keep their secrets shrouded till the knockouts.Related

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Nissanka, Mishara, SL bowlers trample Bangladesh

But it’s 2025. Times have changed. Horizons have broadened. Sri Lanka have rapid bowlers. They have round-arm bowlers. They have two-arm bowlers. Against Bangladesh, they turned up, totted up their options, and decided the mystery spin of Maheesh Theekshana was surplus to requirement. They fielded three frontline fast bowlers. This was in Asia, on a track that always looked like it would take turn.It is an interesting trio of quicks. Two of them bowl roundarm. Two bowl fast. Two are good in the powerplay (each of those descriptions fits a different pair). For the team management, it’s also likely that different calculations recommended each of these bowlers. Dushmantha Chameera, the most senior fast bowler in the squad, had the form coming into this match – plus the experience. Nuwan Thushara had been expensive in the last game he had been picked for, but the man had 12 wickets in five matches against Bangladesh – plus an economy rate of 6.57. These are not numbers worth ignoring. Matheesha Pathirana had much worse numbers against Bangladesh in T20Is – and an economy of 10.09 in three matches – but perhaps there was a hunch that roundarm bowlers rattle this particular opposition.It would turn out that Pathirana would bowl a wild final over, and finish with bad figures. But it didn’t matter, because even without him, Sri Lanka’s seamers had still set this game up in the first two overs. Thushara bowled an airtight first over, looking for that swing into left-hand batter Tanzid Hasan, before zooming through the gate with one that straightened off the last ball. Chameera was even better following up from the other end, finding pace and pitch-perfect lengths in the channel before nicking Parvez Hossain Emon off.Sri Lanka wrecked Bangladesh to 0 for 2 in two overs•Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty ImagesThushara and Chameera had each bowled a wicket maiden, and Bangladesh were 0 for 2. Rarely are T20 matches decided in the first two overs, but by this stage, Bangladesh had used up 10% of their overs, lost 20% of their wickets, and wasted a third of their powerplay for zero runs – a situation they had never been in before. Batting teams also don’t tend to spring out of holes like that.Worse, Thushara’s next over brought only four runs, and Chameera’s next just three, all of which meant batters were taking risks they otherwise might not have. In the middle of the fifth over, Towhid Hridoy was caught short by a direct hit from Kamil Mishara from the deep, as he attempted a dodgy third run. From 11 for 3 after 4.3 overs on a decent track, a competitive score tends to require minor miracles.Spin, meanwhile, was entirely ineffective for Sri Lanka. I’m joking, of course – Wanindu Hasaranga came in to spin googlies into pads, dust off some celebrappeals, and take two wickets, which was more than any of the quicks. This being a Sri Lanka match at an Asia Cup, familiar decorum must be maintained. And yet it was Thushara and Chameera’s identical figures – four overs, one maiden, 14 runs, for one wicket – that both broke the game open for Sri Lanka, and depressed Bangladesh’s final score most.There are signs now that following a 10-year lurch, Sri Lanka might be entering a period of stability. There are several reasons for this, two of which are the domestic structure having improved significantly since the introduction of the National Super League, and consistency from the selectors headed over the past two years.Wanindu Hasaranga took two wickets against Bangladesh•Asian Cricket CouncilOn the fast-bowling front, what this has meant is that quicks aren’t rushed from T20s to Tests to ODIs the moment they begin to prosper at the international level, and Sri Lanka have been able to develop a pace battery for each format. Thushara and Pathirana only really play T20s, for instance. Dilshan Madushanka is solely an ODI bowler for now. Vishwa Fernando and Lahiru Kumara are Test specialists.The coaching staff also seem to have had an effect. Chameera has always had a decent yorker, but he is currently deploying them more consistently than he ever has in the death overs. On Saturday, he bowled the 20th over against two set batters, and conceded only eight runs.The era of the mystery spinner was Sri Lanka’s greatest in white-ball cricket. Those teams made five global finals between 2007 and 2014, winning one. But sometimes the past needs letting go. This team could still play mystery spinner Theekshana through the course of this tournament. But they have built up options.

England international Ivan Toney has returned to Saudi Arabia and training with club side Al-Ahli after being arrested in London over an alleged headbutt in a nightclub. The striker was spotted being led away in handcuffs by police following a brawl in the English capital. However, he has now returned to work with the Saudi Pro League side ahead of a fixture on Friday against Damac.

Toney arrested in London nightclub

Toney found himself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being arrested after an alleged headbutt on a recent visit back to London. The former Brentford striker, who joined Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024, reportedly became involved in an ugly incident when a fan grabbed the England star and asked for a selfie. The alleged victim was left bloodied, with the police responding quickly and taking Toney away in handcuffs. The striker was arrested on suspicion of two counts of assault and one count of affray, as reported by .

A statement from the Metropolitan Police stated: "We were called to Wardour Street at 00:47hrs on Saturday following reports of an assault. The victim was taken to hospital and his injuries are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening. A 29-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of two counts of assault and one count of affray. He has since been released on bail while inquiries continue."

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Toney is now back in the Middle East and has been pictured hard at work with his club side. Al-Ahli have shown off pictures from their training session, with Toney sporting an oxygen mask as he was put through his paces with the Saudi club. "Breath by breath… we level up," is the caption added by Al-Ahli.

Toney plays a 'different game' in Saudi Arabia

Toney has previously talked about how difficult it has been to adjust to playing football in the intense heat in Saudi Arabia following his move and has insisted he has no interest in criticism of his decision to head to the Middle East. He told : "Those that know me, know that I do what I want to do. If there is something I want to go for, to try, then I will do it. If people want to talk, they can talk. It doesn't hurt me, doesn't bother me, I just concentrate on myself. I do what makes me happy.

"The weather played a massive part. Somebody should go and try to play in a sauna and see if they can cope. You have to play a different game with different tactics and it is something you adapt to. There are different blocks of 20 minutes where it is intense and then it has to slow down and pick up again."

AFPToney not giving up on World Cup dream

Toney finished last season behind only Cristiano Ronaldo on the list of top scorers in the Saudi Pro League and has bagged five in eight games so far in 2025-26. There has been talk he could still sneak his way into Thomas Tuchel's squad for World Cup 2026 even though his last appearance for the Three Lions came against Senegal in a friendly in June. Yet Toney has insisted he hasn't given up hope of an international recall and told in September: "I have to concentrate on myself and give myself the best chance possible, and who knows? If I am selected, I will do my best for my country but if not, I’ll be cheering the boys on."

"I don’t expect to have a conversation with him [Thomas Tuchel]. I am sure he has other things to be concentrating on. My job is to do well. It is what it is. If you are good enough, you are good enough; it doesn’t matter where you are playing in the world. As long as you are doing the right things and scoring goals, then you give yourself a chance."

With the WPL auction, and before that retention day, coming up, some of these cricketers are likely to create interest following their World Cup performances

S Sudarshanan04-Nov-2025

Nadine de Klerk was at her absolute best in the league-phase win over India•ICC/Getty Images

Nadine de Klerk

A pace-bowling allrounder who can nail the yorkers and whack more than just a few at the death? Yes, please! De Klerk is one of those whose stocks would have risen big time ahead of the WPL auction. In Indian conditions, she put up quite a show with the bat – against India, no less – rescuing South Africa from a seemingly impossible situation in a chase in the league stage. Her strike rate of 131.64 in the World Cup was second only to Richa Ghosh’s 133.52 (minimum 20 balls faced). She also picked up nine wickets, the third-most for South Africa. That she can keep her calm at the death was evident in the final, where she gave away just six singles bowling the 50th. She was with Mumbai Indians (MI) in WPL 2025 but did not get a single game. If they retain her, it will be tough not to give her a spot in the XI?Amanjot Kaur made big contributions at crucial moments at the World Cup•Getty Images

Amanjot Kaur

The start of WPL 2025 and the recent World Cup was similar for Amanjot – she was returning from a stress fracture of the back earlier this year, for MI, and she was out with niggle for two months before the World Cup. Both the competitions ended with her team winning the trophy. The World Cup would have given a massive boost to MI, who can now retain her as the Indian seam-bowling allrounder ahead of Pooja Vastrakar, who has had a long injury layoff. Amanjot has shown she could be the second seamer, she can float in the batting order, and that she is a gun fielder is no secret.Annabel Sutherland emerged from a brief run of low scores•ICC/Getty Images

Annabel Sutherland and Marizanne Kapp

Even though Australia were knocked out in the semi-final, Sutherland had a memorable World Cup, outshining the likes of Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath. Only Deepti Sharma (22) had more wickets than Sutherland’s 17 in the competition. Her death-over exploits often helped Australia rein opponents in.Related

• WPL 2026: Harmanpreet, Mandhana, Rodrigues among players retained; Healy, Lanning released

• Team of the tournament: Mandhana, Wolvaardt, Gardner, Ecclestone and…?

Her Delhi Capitals (DC) team-mate Kapp had a relatively sedate World Cup, where she finished with 12 wickets but went wicketless in four of the nine outings including the final. Her five-wicket haul against England in the semi-final proved she still has it in her to deliver when the stakes are high.In WPL 2025, Sutherland was the third-highest wicket-taker for DC with nine wickets, one more than Kapp’s eight. This is why DC could face a tricky choice if they have to retain one of them. Both of them have shown at the World Cup that they can rescue their teams from tricky situations with the bat, too. Whoever finds themselves in the auction is likely to trigger a bidding war.N Shree Charani was the point of difference in the games against Australia•BCCI

N Shree Charani

She played only two games for DC in WPL 2025 but that was enough for India to get her into the World Cup squad. Her ability to vary her pace, get some drift as well as enough bite from the surface makes her stand out from some of the other left-arm spinners. That made India prefer her over the more experienced Radha Yadav, and she delivered with 14 wickets, the second-most for them. She was the best bowler on show in both of India’s matches against Australia, and a prime reason why the defending champions were kept to a lower-than-par total in the semi-final. If she is not retained by DC, expect her to make a splash at the auction.Laura Wolvaardt raised her game to a higher level at the World Cup•ICC/Getty Images

Laura Wolvaardt

For three World Cups in a row, across ODIs and T20Is, Wolvaardt has topped the run chart. In this tournament, her evolution and growth were visible. She opened up scoring areas that she hadn’t accessed before, batted at a higher gear and hit seven of her 18 ODI sixes in the last four weeks. No one doubts Wolvaardt’s ability to score runs even in T20 cricket. The fact she features in our list is because she played only three matches in WPL 2025, where her team Gujarat Giants (GG) used five opening combinations in nine matches. If GG do not retain her – but why wouldn’t they? – there are a few teams who could do with a versatile batter, and leader, like Wolvaardt.

England boss Thomas Tuchel has hinted that the glitz and glamour of the 2026 World Cup ceremony was rather unnecessary. The Three Lions eventually found out that they will face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama at next year's competition in North America. However, those watching the draw had to wait a long time to find out the results, something Tuchel believes they could have "done without".

• 'I don't need it'

  On Friday, the football world discovered who will play who in the group stages of the World Cup, with England facing 2018 finalists Croatia first up in the tournament. For those tuning in, though, it took an eternity for the nations to actually be drawn in Washington D.C. Earlier on in the ceremony, United States President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino designating it for a person who has "taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace" and "united people across the world". Trump was given a large gold trophy, a medal, and a certificate, while Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand was also heavily involved in the draw. Going by Tuchel's comments, he didn't appear to be a fan of the whole affair.

  He told : "I do not, not like it but we could have done it like, without all of this. I don't need it. But of course, it's a huge stage and it's big entertainment. I was very well aware that it's not about the deep insight of football today."

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  England face 'difficult' group

  While England are favourites to win their group and progress to the knockout stages of the World Cup, many Three Lions fans have not forgotten Croatia dumping them out of the tournament at the semi-final stage in 2018. And former Chelsea boss Tuchel is certainly wary of their upcoming opponents, even though they beat them in Euro 2020.

  "Difficult group, difficult opener. Difficult group with Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups and two proud and strong nations. Panama, I don't know much about Panama at the moment but we will find out about it before the tournament starts, of course," he said. "For me, I'm only experienced group football in Champions League formats and the way to approach it was to always give it the biggest respect and to put all the focus into winning the group. It always seems difficult like our group now but we are confident and we will be well prepared when we arrive.

  "Nobody should be underestimated. Of course, Croatia is the standout, they're the highest ranked team from pot two that we got into out group but listen, Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise and has a big history in World Cup football, and also Panama will try to make the most in their underdog role. No one can be underestimated, everyone deserves the fullest respect and we can show that."

• Tuchel's preference…

  On paper, Croatia is the most difficult side England face in the group stage, with their European rivals six places below the Three Lions in the world rankings in 10th. Incidentally, Panama are down in 30th, and Ghana sit in 72nd. While some nations may want to ease into the competition with an easier match, Tuchel had no preference. 

  He said: "I had no preference because why would I worry? I cannot influence. The legends took the draw and this is what we get and what we have to deal with now. We know now our opponents, we know we will start late in the tournament if players are involved in European finals, hopefully. We didn't desire anything we just handled the situation as it is. You get a little more days before and then you get a condensed schedule later in the tournament. Everything comes with in upside and downside."

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  What comes next for England?

  England are expected to face Croatia in their World Cup opener in Toronto, Canada, or Dallas, in the United States, on June 17. Before then, the Three Lions will have to confirm some friendly fixtures earlier on in 2026 to get them ready for the showpiece event.

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