Johor crown prince sparks Valencia takeover talk
Johor's crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has prompted talk of a takeover bid for Spanish football club Valencia after posting about his ambitions for the La Liga outfit, who are owned by Singapore billionaire businessman Peter Lim.
Tunku Ismail said Valencia needs someone who is "hungry for success", adding that he was motivated by "creating history".
"I'm not a businessman, I'm a prince," Tunku Ismail, 36, wrote in a series of Instagram stories, which are no longer available, but were posted as screenshots by media. "I'm not someone who will change your club logo or tradition."
"What does Valencia need? You need someone who knows about football, hungry for success, passionate, and understand how big Valencia is as a club," wrote the prince.
Tunku Ismail also owns Malaysian kingpins Johor Darul Ta'zim, who last year won their seventh straight Malaysian league title and inaugurated the 40,000-capacity Sultan Ibraham Stadium.
However, Valencia president Anil Murthy insisted that Los Che will not be sold.
He told Spanish media: "My colleagues told me about the Prince of Johor's Instagram (posts), I spoke with Peter and there is no indication about the possibility of selling the club."
Lim's Meriton Holdings bought Valencia for 420 million euros (S$670m) in 2014, including 200 million euros to clear the club's debts.
However, relations with fans have soured after a lack of success on the pitch and a revolving door of managerial appointments.
After reaching last season's Champions League Round of 16, the club are languishing at 14th spot in La Liga, just five points above the relegation zone. - AFP
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