Saudi billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh eyes Millwall and Southampton takeover as Sheffield Wednesday ruled out | OneFootball

Simon Jordan has revealed the billionaire's interest in the Lions and Saints

Saudi billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh is actively exploring the possibility of purchasing an English football club, with Southampton and Millwall emerging as frontrunners.

That’s according to former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan revealed that Al-Sheikh has ruled out a move for Sheffield Wednesday - despite previously being recommended the club - because of a desire to invest in a team based in the South of England.

Saudi billionaire Turki Al-Sheikh interest revealed in Millwall, Southampton

“No it’s not talk, they are interested because they’ve told me.” Simon Jordan revealed on talkSPORT.

“I’ve told them - or tried to talk them out of Millwall, because I don’t think it’s a proper football club but that’s a different discussion.

“But it is Millwall - and he likes Southampton. I suggested Sheffield Wednesday to him, he doesn’t want Sheffield Wednesday.

“He doesn’t want a club in the North. He wants a club in the South, and Millwall and Southampton are the clubs he thinks are interesting to him.”

In recent months, he has been linked with interest in English football, particularly amid unrest at Sheffield Wednesday, where Jordan had suggested he consider a takeover.

However, Al-Sheikh’s preference for a southern club appears to rule the South Yorkshire side out.

Turki Al-Sheikh: The billionaire targeting EFL takeover

Turki Al-Sheikh is not a newcomer to football investment. He currently owns Spanish side UD Almería, which he bought in 2019, and previously held stakes in Egypt’s Pyramids FC.

At Almería, he has overseen significant spending in an attempt to establish the club as a top-flight regular, often taking a hands-on approach with player recruitment and management decisions.

Outside of football, Al-Sheikh is one of the most influential figures in global sport. As Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, he has been pivotal in bringing major events such as heavyweight boxing bouts, Formula 1 races, and WWE shows to the kingdom.

His estimated personal wealth of over £2 billion and close ties to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman position him as a key architect of the country’s Vision 2030 project.

Should Al-Sheikh follow through with a bid for Millwall or Southampton, it would mark the latest step in Saudi Arabia’s deepening relationship with elite sport - and a potentially transformative moment for either club.