'A takeover deal is near completion': Morecambe owner's latest sale claim

Having promised supporters a statement last Thursday after saying a last-minute deal had been agreed with a new UK buyer, Bond Group Investments’ Jason Whittingham has broken a week-long silence this afternoon.

Whittingham’s latest comments come after the Shrimps Trust fans group named Jamie Alexander Hunter as the person it believed to be in dialogue with Bond Group over a deal.

They also come as former directors fear that the club has days left to safeguard its future, staff await the remaining two-thirds of June’s wages, an HMRC bill has to be paid, school events have been cancelled, the club is under embargo and their only home pre-season game is now behind closed doors.

Whittingham said: “Bond Group are aware that there is much ongoing speculation around the sale of the club.

“We can confirm that a takeover deal is near completion with a consortium of individuals, headed by people with genuine football experience, to acquire Bond Group’s interest in the club.

“We can also confirm that despite speculation on the buyers’ identity, nobody from the consortium has yet been named publicly and recent guesses are not accurate.

“We are grateful for the speed with which the new buyer has worked with their legal team on concluding their due diligence and negotiating the contracts, given the time pressures the club is facing.

“The buyers have funds available to bring payments for the club up to date and we are working to conclude the transaction as quickly as possible.

“We will issue a further update shortly.”