"I understand" - Exclusive: Sky Sports pundit reacts to big Sheffield Wednesday takeover news | OneFootball

Don Goodman has given his reaction to reports that three parties are interested in a potential takeover of Sheffield Wednesday.

Pundit Don Goodman believes it is crucial for Sheffield Wednesday to find a buyer in order to bring owner Dejphon Chansiri's controversial tenure at the club to an end.

Wednesday had emerged as surprise play-off contenders after a positive first half of the season, but their promotion hopes have collapsed since the turn of the year amid a number of off-field issues.

The unrest behind the scenes at Hillsborough started in December when manager Danny Rohl was denied a move to Southampton, which sparked a breakdown in communication between him and Chansiri and resulted in a bitter public dispute during the January transfer window.

Rohl and Chansiri did eventually resolve their differences, but the owner came under fire again earlier this month after it was revealed that he had failed to pay the players' March wages on time, and the club only narrowly managed to avoid a three-window transfer ban after coming dangerously close to the maximum 30-day limit permitted for late payment of player salaries and HMRC debt in a single year.

That is far from the end of the uncertainty for the Owls as it looks increasingly likely that Rohl will depart in the summer amid fresh interest from Southampton, Leicester City and RB Leipzig, and supporters made their feelings clear as they protested against Chansiri during Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Oxford United, a result which saw the club drop down to 14th in the Championship table.

Ahead of the game, Chansiri released an open letter to supporters in which he confirmed that he had received no offers to buy the club, but he insisted that he would be willing to sell to "the right individual, or group, to take our club forward".

However, a report from The Star on Monday morning claimed that three parties are considering the possibility of investing in Wednesday, including two from the United States and one from the UK, but no contact or bids have been made at this stage.

Don Goodman issues Sheffield Wednesday takeover claim

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Goodman insisted that finding a new owner is vitally important for Wednesday if they are to move forward, but he admitted that a takeover would not guarantee them a return to the Premier League.

"I think the most important thing for anybody connected with Sheffield Wednesday, particularly the fans, would be to get Dejphon Chansiri out of the football club," Goodman said.

"Clearly it's gone very, very toxic, and I understand why there would be interest in Sheffield Wednesday.

"They are a huge club that have been in the doldrums for far too long, even dropping down to League One.

"But they get good crowds, they've got that stadium, they get it bouncing, we've seen it.

"Can they get to the Premier League? Just because new owners come in, it does not mean that Sheffield Wednesday, or any other club for that matter, will get to the Premier League.

"We've seen it so many times, it's all about recruitment and having the right people in place at the top of the club, the coaching staff and the players.

"If they get that right, then maybe, but for now, it's really important that the club finds a stable footing."

Dejphon Chansiri's Sheffield Wednesday reign may be coming to an end

For a long time, Wednesday supporters have believed that there is little chance that Chansiri would even consider selling the club, but his position may now be changing.

The increasingly frustrated Owls fan base staged another protest against Chansiri during the defeat to Oxford on Saturday as they turned their backs on the game in the 10th minute, representing the number of years since his takeover of the club, and similar demonstrations are likely to take place before the end of the season.

The revelation that three parties are weighing up a potential bid for the club provides a glimmer of hope for Wednesday, but takeovers can often be a lengthy process, and with no deal imminent, it could be a turbulent summer at Hillsborough, particularly as Rohl is widely expected to move on.