The takeover saga at Charlton Athletic has been rumbling on in the background for quite a few weeks now.
As it has done so, the situation at the League One club has seemingly got more and more complicated.
With that said, in recent days, updates on the situation have continued to surface, making an already complex situation even more so.
With that in mind, we thought we'd look at everything we know about the proposed takeover so far, and then move on to the very latest developments, and what could happen next.
What do we know so far?
We know that a proposed takeover of the club collapsed last month in mid-February, when current Addicks owner Thomas Sandgaard pulled out of a deal on the very morning it was meant to be completed.
As per The Athletic, Sandgaard was due to sell 90% of the club to former Sunderland director Charlie Methven - famed for his appearances in the Netflix series about the Black Cats.
Sandgaard pulled the plug last minute, though, as per the above report, not giving the prospective buyers a reason for doing do, despite an £850,000 deposit having been paid.
News then emerged that Sandgaard was now in talks with US businessman Marc Spiegel over a potential sale, with the consortium he had previously agreed a sale with - led by Charlie Methven - considering legal action.
As per The Athletic, Spiegel was willing to pay a higher price for the club than the £8.5 million proposal from Methven's consortium.
The very latest reports on the matter have surfaced early this month.
What is the latest?
In recent days, the Charlie Methven led consortium have pleased with Thomas Sandgaard to make a reasonable settlement for breaking the terms of the deal they had agreed prior to Christmas.
Given to The Athletic, SE7 partners - the name of the Methven consortium - issued the following statement as their exclusivity period to buy the club expired in recent days
“Over the last three weeks SE7 and its major investors have continuously offered Mr Sandgaard the opportunity to reverse his breach of exclusivity and complete the deal on the agreed terms, which have never changed,” SE7 Partners statement read, via The Athletic.
“He has refused to do so. So, with the exclusivity period now ending, SE7 has this morning offered again either to complete the deal, or — failing that — for Mr Sandgaard to come to a reasonable settlement which recognises costs incurred and time wasted.
“Failing either option being taken, SE7 has no further recourse save the last resort of taking legal action against Mr Sandgaard.
“It is worth noting that no such legal action would prevent Mr Sandgaard selling Charlton Athletic in the meantime, as has been wrongly alleged. Indeed, SE7 and its investors wish only the very best for this great club in its future and hope that it flourishes under new ownership, even if that is not to be us.”
What next?
Who knows what could come next.
With SE7 Partners' exclusivity period now over, it is perhaps not too far fetched to think that Sandgaard could now continue to pursue a deal with US businessman Marc Spiegel.
In the meantime, though, SE7 partners are clearly demanding some sort of settlement as they feel he went agains the terms they had agreed for them to takeover the club.
It is a rather messy situation if truth be told, and one you hope is resolved sooner rather than later for the sake of Charlton Athletic supporters.
With all of this coming as the club's manager Dean Holden is also linked with a potential move away from the club, is it a hectic and troubling time at The Valley indeed.