Sunderland chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has revealed that no-one at the Black Cats has had contact with cryptocurrency group The Fans Together, who claim to have lodged a bid for the shares of Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven.

Donald and Methven, who are sometimes referred to as 'Madrox' have been willing to sell their 39 per cent share of the Wearsiders, with Methven telling The Athletic that there are two acceptable offers on the table.

It emerged on Tuesday afternoon that The Fans Together, who describe themselves as an 'organisation dedicated to bringing large scale widespread fan ownership to reality', were in discussions to secure Donald and Methven's stake in the club, as first reported by Sky Sports' Tom White.

However, in a sudden twist, Louis-Dreyfus, who has a 41 per cent controlling stake in Sunderland, having acquired that in February 2021, has dismissed the claims that The Fans Together are in talks, stating that no Black Cats employee has been contacted.

"Juan Sartori and I remain wholeheartedly committed to Sunderland AFC and our collective focus is on preparing for the upcoming Championship season," the French businessman writes.

"Neither I nor any employee from SAFC has had any dialogue with the cryptocurrency group 'The Fans Together' and although a timely conclusion to this matter is preferable, any transfer of shares must not compromise the club's integrity.

"All shareholders must also be qualified to take the club forward in line with EFL Governance and have alignment with the values and principles of SAFC and its supporters, as well as our long-term strategy."

The Verdict

Whilst Methven has claimed that there are two acceptable offers for his and Donald's share in Sunderland, at no point has it been claimed that The Fans Together are one of those parties.

There has been widespread criticism of the consortium though, with many supporters not wanting the club to be involved with a cryptocurrency scheme.

That point is understandable, as despite their experience with a Greek second tier team, The Fans Together are completely unknown on British shores.

As Louis-Dreyfus said, a quick resolution is preferred, but that doesn't mean that is what's going to happen in this situation.