Sheffield United takeover update emerges as Steve Rosen seeks to finalise deal | OneFootball

Steven H. Rosen requires further backing to complete a deal to buy Sheffield United, but he is optimistic of finding it.

Sheffield United could be set for new ownership in the near future, but Steve Rosen is looking for an extra backer to satisfy the EFL regarding a deal.

With a broad agreement said to be in place for Prince Abdullah to sell the club, earlier this week Alan Nixon reported a key barrier that is preventing a sale from being completed.

Rosen and his consortium are yet to satisfy the EFL's financial demands, as the takeover saga continues to drag on. The latest also comes from Nixon, who reports the American's need for further backing to make the powers-that-be happy that he can fund the club for the next few years.

It's fair to say that Sheffield United's fortunes off the pitch have been mixed, to say the least, in recent years, with promotion to the Premier League last year then followed by a dismal top-flight campaign.

It saw them amass just 16 points as Chris Wilder returned to the Bramall Lane dugout. In fact, it was the third-lowest points tally since the beginning of the Premier League era last term; only Sunderland in 2005/06 (15 points) and Derby County in 2007/08 (11 points) have fared worse.

Sheffield United are looking to put the disappointment of last season behind them, in order to rebuild, re-group, and to go again. In spite of the need to get the takeover situation resolved behind the scenes for the entirety of the summer, they are inside the top two in the Championship.

However, a takeover would lift the mood even further, which is why it will be disappointing news that it appears to have hit another issue, which is the hold up from the deal being completed ahead of a crucial January window.

The latest Sheffield United takeover news

Despite a summer window that was initially set up to be one only consisting of free-agent acquisitions and loans, the Blades did end up spending a fair bit of money. However, further backing is now required.

In recent weeks, it has been suggested that the group, led by Rosen, only needed to reach an agreement with the EFL over terms to complete the deal, with that not expected to be an issue.

Rosen has reportedly been in talks to buy the club for weeks now, according to Bloomberg. Other parties have been interested in the club over the last few months as well, though.

Henry Mauriss previously had a bid accepted and Dozy Mmobuosi was also believed to have been in with a chance of purchasing the Blades, but neither men got their hands on the South Yorkshire outfit.

The deal with Rosen was reportedly due to be announced last week, but it may be some time before a takeover can be completed, depending on when the consortium can satisfy the League's wish.

Nixon is reporting the latest that an extra backer is required to guarantee the funding of the club for the next two seasons. However, Rosen is reportedly "optimistic about bringing in a new ally" to pledge the much-needed cash.

It should be done in time for a "January splash", per Nixon's latest report, in a bid to strengthen Wilder's squad ahead of a second half of the season push for automatic promotion.

Recently, it was reported that Marvel movie director Joe Russo and health company CEO Helmy Eltoukhy could be involved in the deal, according to a report from The Sheffield Star

Eltoukhy would apparently partner Rosen in fronting the bid, with Russo another figure who could invest in the company following his success in the world of movies.

Sheffield United's takeover saga needs to come to an end ASAP

Sheffield United fans have experienced a number of false dawns in recent years. Now, they will just want this takeover saga to be over and for a new owner to be installed.

They are expected to be there or thereabouts come the end of the campaign, in part due to quality operators at their disposal who have been there and done it in the Championship, and the influence of Wilder as well.

It is the job of their boss to live up to those expectations and deliver, but he also has a thin squad which could quickly fall apart through just a small handful of serious injuries; it highlights their need for more investment and the resources to continue their assault on the automatic promotion places.

With the takeover process dragging on, the club may have felt the need to cut their cloth accordingly in January, as opposed to securing more much-needed cash for acquisitions. The Bramall Lane faithful will hope that the proposed takeover from Rosen's consortium can help on that front.

Should it be delivered in the coming weeks and months, then there is every chance they will be even more competitive during the run-in and the second half of the campaign, in their pursuit of becoming a stable top tier outfit for the foreseeable future in the long-term.