LONDON: The Football Association have received an offer to buy iconicWembley stadium in a shock move that increases the chances of an NFL teamtaking up permanent residence in London.
Pakistani American Shahid Khan, who owns Championship club Fulham and theNFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, is behind the £500 million ($698 million) bidto buy the national stadium.
“We can confirm that the FA has received an offer to buy Wembley Stadium,”an FA statement read.
According to the Evening Standard, Khan has struck an outline agreementwith FA boss Martin Glenn to transfer Wembley to foreign ownership for thefirst time.
The stunning proposal, which would also see Khan allow the FA to keeplucrative debenture and hospitality revenue, worth around £300 million, wasput before the full board of the domestic game’s governing body on Thursday.
Wembley, which has a 90,000-capacity, was reopened in 2007 after the FA’sseven-year, £757 million rebuild of the home of English football. – APP/AFP