Bournemouth Came Close to Saudi Takeover in January Before Deal Broke Down
by Tom GottBournemouth owner Maxim Demin came close to selling the Cherries to a Saudi Arabian business consortium in January, only to see the deal break down over a disagreement in the club valuation.
Russian businessman Demin, who has been involved with Bournemouth since 2011, previously sold a small stake of his ownership in 2015 before buying it back four years later to regain full ownership.
A source has told 90min that Demin was open to the idea of selling the club in January, and the prospective Saudi owners had already passed the Premier League's Owners' and Directors' Test, only to see the deal break down.
The two parties could not agree on the overall value of Bournemouth's current playing squad, which ultimately left them unable to agree on a final price for the takeover.
The prospective owners had already expressed a willingness to construct a new stadium of around 27,000 capacity in an attempt to take Bournemouth to the next level. The Cherries currently play at the Vitality Stadium, which houses 11,000 fans - the lowest in the top flight and below the average capacity in the Championship.
The club have since denied that any discussions regarding a takeover have taken place.
It remains to be seen whether Demin will look to sell the club in the near future, with Bournemouth fighting to retain their place in the Premier League.
Before play was suspended, Bournemouth found themselves 18th in the Premier League table, with their inferior goal difference keeping them in the relegation zone.
Eddie Howe's side have won just two of their last 12 league games and still have to face five of the competition's current top eight, so the Cherries still have plenty of work to do if they are to ensure they remain in the top flight.