Brentford owner Matthew Benham will start a process which could lead to him relinquishing majority ownership as part of a deal valuing the Premier League club at more than £400 million, according to a report.
Benham has hired advisers Rothschild to canvas investment offers and is “open-minded” about selling a minority or majority shareholding, Sky News has said.
Since first investing in Brentford in 2007, Benham has helped to oversee the rise to the Premier League of a club which has spent much of its 134-year history in the lower divisions, as well as a move to the impressive Gtech Community Stadium in 2020.
The outlet cited an insider as saying that Benham wants to remain a long-term minority investor if he sells a controlling stake.
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Now an established top-flight side under Danish head coach Thomas Frank, Brentford could be an attractive proposition for more overseas investors in the most lucrative division in world football.
The Bees, whose stadium has a capacity of more than 17,000, finished comfortably clear of relegation in their first season in the Premier League and came ninth in their second campaign.
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Ten of the 20 Premier League teams are part or fully-owned by Americans or US companies, including the likes of fellow London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea.
Newcastle United were taken over by a Saudi-backed consortium for £300m in 2021, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a 25% stake in Manchester United, which was ratified by the FA and Premier League last week, cost more than £1 billion.
Rothschild is also said to be advising on the potential disposal of a stake of around 10% in West Ham, whose majority shareholder is Welshman David Sullivan.
Sky News said Brentford had responded to the story by reiterating a statement provided to Bloomberg News in December which said: “Given the recent rise and growth of our club and the changing shareholder landscape within the Premier League, it’s no surprise that there has been interest in investment opportunities at Brentford FC.
“While Matthew Benham’s commitment to the club remains as strong as it ever was, it is only natural – and perhaps even essential – for us to carefully explore what new investment could potentially mean for the future of Brentford FC.
“We must not stand still and we remain absolutely determined to safeguard the long-term future of Brentford FC and to remain competitive in the world’s most challenging and successful league.”
