American businessman Marc Spiegel is interested in a takeover of Charlton, with owner Thomas Sandgaard insisting he is under no obligation to sell the club to a Charlie Methven-led consortium.
A group of investors fronted by former Sunderland director Methven had been close to acquiring 90 per cent of the club for around £8.5million but the deal collapsed on Friday when Sandgaard pulled the plug.
Methven has threatened legal action, claiming negotiations with other parties are in breach of an exclusivity period agreed with his group, but Sandgaard says that window has expired.
In a meeting with the club’s fan advisor, the Dane confirmed Spiegel’s interest and also the imminent arrival of former Portsmouth director Peter Storrie as CEO.
Spiegel, the co-founder of recycling firm Rubicon, is reportedly willing to pay an increased sum for the League One club.
Sandgaard said last week that he had pulled out of the Methven deal over “some very specific terms” that the prospective buyers “didn’t comply with”, a claim disputed by Methven, who appeared on BBC Radio London on Monday night and told Charlton supporters his consortium remains “deadly serious about acquiring this club”.
“I hope and pray that Mr Sandgaard will see the force of our arguments and pick up the phone to me,” Methven said. “He would find us all ears. If Thomas Sandgaard comes back to the table and says he wants to fulfil the deal, we will fulfil the deal.”
Storrie will be charged with the day-to-day running of the club after chief operating officer Jim Rodwell, technical director Andy Scott and finance director Ed Warrick all left.
