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A takeover of Sheffield Wednesday has taken a significant step forward in the last few days, with a new name now revealed.
After years of mismanagement, Dejphon Chansiri’s time at Sheffield Wednesday could be coming to an end this year.
The Owls are currently under three separate embargoes amid their ongoing financial problems.
It has left the club unable to sign new players for transfer fees or renew the contracts of stars like Barry Bannan.
There has been some good news this week, though, with Danny Rohl set to stay at Sheffield Wednesday and progress made on a takeover.
Sheffield Wednesday takeover update
We shared an update on the takeover of Sheffield Wednesday earlier this week, with at least three parties thought to be keen.
It was then reported on Friday that an agreement to buy the Owls was very close, but the figures were unnamed at the time.
However, a new name playing a key role in the potential takeover of the Yorkshire club has now been shared.
Ron Staton provided the update, saying it’s a ‘name to know’ as the takeover progresses.
He wrote: “Understand Francesco Guardascione is heading up a consortium pursuing a purchase of Sheffield Wednesday. Things have been moving quickly. This is a name to know as the process goes on.”
Who is Francesco Guardascione?
It’s a new name fans may not have heard of before, but Matt Thomas has shared an insight into him following news of his interest in Sheffield Wednesday.
Taking to X/Twitter, he wrote: “For #SWFC fans asking who Francesco Guardascione is, he is an entrepreneur with interests in the hospitality and restaurant sectors, with aspirations to become a significant figure in football with previous attempts to enter football ownership, such as with Perugia.
“He has a record of failing to follow through with payments for the reported club purchases, with little information or explanation of why the payments were never made and deals collapsed. Guardascione tried to acquire Italian and Spanish minnow football clubs in late 2023 to early 2024. Both efforts failed due to financial issues, particularly uncredited bank transfers. In January 2024 it was announced that Guardascione had acquired the majority shares of S.S. Turris Calcio S.r.L. from Antonio Colantonio, ending Colantonio’s seven-year tenure.
“However in February 2024 reports emerged that the first payment of €350,000 due by January 30, 2024, was not honored. The bank transfer never reached the club’s account. The deal was confirmed to have collapsed due to the unpaid installment, and Turris remained under Colantonio’s ownership. In December 2023 there were reported negotiations between Sabadell FC and Guardascione’s group, Holding Maraja, for the sale of the club, with the deal said to be close to being finalised. In January 2024 it was reported that Guardascione and Antonio Di Lauro had signed the deal to become the new owners of Sabadell FC, with a goal of reaching La Liga.
“By late January 2024 it was reported that the bank transfers for the Sabadell deal were never credited, similar to the Turris deal, suggesting the payment was not made. A statement from Sabadell FC confirmed no agreement had been reached, and Maraja Holding would not be buying the club.
“It’s a strange person for Wednesday to be linked with, gives me Eric Alonso vibes, given his failures to complete takeovers above mentioned but if he has genuine explanations for why these fell through beyond the reports he failed to pay the first instalments due, then I will obviously welcome such a clarification. Until then, I’m wary.”