Queens Park Rangers’ first EPL match in years was a double bummer earlier today, a 4-0 home defeat to Bolton Wanderers accentuated by the removal of recent acquisition Kieron Dyer. However, the was far more encouraging news off the pitch — in the long term, anyway — as the Observer reports the duo of Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore are poised to sell their two-thirds stake in the club to Tony Fernandes. That’s Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandes, not to be confused with former Blue Jays SS Tony Fernandez, who might not have nearly enough saved to buy out Briatore & Ecclestone (above).
If the deal goes through it is not yet clear if Ecclestone will sell all his 66% holding in the west London club and whether Briatore will retain his 1% stake. However, given the strained relationship Mittal and his son-in-law, Amit Bhatia, have with the Formula One impresario and the former grand prix team principal Briatore, it is thought Ecclestone is likely to sell all his shares.
Ecclestone has said in the past that QPR would be for sale for £100m but the financial details of the deal being struck by Fernandes and Mittal are unknown.
Bhatia, who resigned as chairman in May in protest at ticket-price hikes and the direction the club was taking is likely to return to the board if Fernandes is successful in his attempt to take control.