The two Sheffield professional football clubs could unite in a merger as the Sheffield United owner has made a bid for the fierce local rivals.
Administrators overseeing Sheffield Wednesday's sale have secured five formal offers for the financially troubled Championship side, including from COH Sports, the American consortium that acquired Sheffield United last December.
They were among the numerous parties who contacted Wednesday's administrators about a potential purchase.
The extraordinary suggestion would see both South Yorkshire clubs operate under single ownership, a prospect that has sparked outrage amongst supporters of the historic rivals.
Historic football side Sheffield Wednesday filed for administration in October
| GETTYBegbies Traynor, the firm managing Wednesday's administration process, received the merger proposal amongst approximately 80 initial expressions of interest over recent weeks.
The Championship strugglers entered administration in October, ending Dejphon Chansiri's troubled tenure and triggering a 12-point penalty that has left them anchored at the foot of the table.
The group, headed by Steven Rosen of Resilience Capital Partners and biotech executive Helmy Eltoukhy, made preliminary enquiries alongside roughly 80 other interested parties over the past month.
Their approach came less than 12 months after taking control at Bramall Lane from Saudi Arabian Prince Abdullah Bin Mosaad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Sources suggest the likelihood of COH pursuing their interest further appears minimal, with neither they nor retail magnate Mike Ashley having submitted formal offers so far.
The American owners addressed United supporters in a letter this morning, acknowledging disappointment with the current campaign whilst reaffirming their ambition to restore Premier League status to the club.
"Like all Clubs there has certainly been some ups and downs. However, our goals and commitment remain the same today as the day we walked in," the correspondence stated.
The ownership group outlined their vision for modernising the club through enhanced recruitment strategies, advanced data analytics, and expanded commercial partnerships to strengthen squad investment.
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Sheffield Wednesday are up for sale
| PAMeanwhile, Wednesday's administrators aim to identify a preferred purchaser by next week, with exclusivity negotiations targeted for completion by 5 December.
Sheffield United's ownership notably avoided directly denying their approach for Wednesday when communicating with supporters today, choosing instead to highlight Sunday's 3-0 derby victory at Hillsborough.
The letter from COH Sports concentrated on their determination to secure promotion back to the top flight, describing their ownership journey as "a marathon, not a sprint".
Rather than addressing the controversial inquiry that emerged yesterday, the American consortium emphasised their ongoing commitment to Bramall Lane and urged fans to support manager Chris Wilder ahead of tonight's fixture.
Sheffield United's ownership notably avoided directly denying their approach for Wednesday
|GETTY
When entering administration, Sheffield Wednesday faced a heavy 12-point deduction, as confirmed by the EFL.
An official statement read: "Whilst this development results in the automatic deduction of 12 points in accordance with Regulations agreed by all Clubs, it also presents Sheffield Wednesday with the opportunity to move matters towards a successful sale and secure future under new ownership."
The club currently sits at the bottom of the Championship, the second tier of English football.
Known as The Owls, they are one of the oldest surviving clubs in world football, with more than 150 years of history.
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