Huw Jenkins has revealed that his takeover bid for Charlton Athletic has been left in the balance as his 48-hour exclusivity has now expired and there are three or four other very interested parties.
East Street Investments completed their takeover of the South London club in January but the last few months have been chaotic to say the least.
An ugly boardroom dispute between the two main shareholders, Tahnoon Nimer and Matt Southall, has been played out on social media and the EFL is currently investigating the deal.
It appears ESI ownership of the club is close to an end and it has been reported that Jenkins, who led Swansea City to the Premier League and a Carabao Cup win during his 17 years as chairman, has agreed a £1 million deal to buy the club.
It is understood that Charlton have wages and other bills totalling more than £400,000 that need to be paid this week, meaning they need a deal done quickly.
However, speaking to Sky Sports News, Jenkins has revealed an obstacle facing him concerning the takeover bid as his 48-hour exclusivity window to complete the deal has now passed.
He said: "It puts it very much in the balance and I'm led to believe there are a few very keen interested parties to do a deal.
"It's not down to me fully, it's down to the current owners and their need to quickly do a deal.
"Personally, I need more time to be clear and just move forward cautiously to make sure things are right for myself. The other side I'm not in control of, the need of the current owners and the timescale they need to operate in."
The Welshman has confirmed that his deal will see him inherit the current agreement to buy the training ground and stadium from former owner Roland Duchatelet within the next five years.
One of the other interested parties is thought to be former Watford owner Laurence Bassini, who is pursuing a deal for the club himself.
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The Verdict
Just as it appeared that the Charlton takeover bid was nearly done, it appears Jenkins is facing an obstacle with more interested parties entering the fray.
The delay will likely be no surprise for Addicks fans, who have had a rough time with off the field issues over the last few years and will know how complex these things can be.
It is going to be very interesting to see how this plays out, whether a deal is done in time and who the new owners are.