Bristol City takeover latest: reporter gives definitive update amid links with potential new mega money suitor

Bristol City have emerged as a club with significant ambitions to push up the Championship in the last 12 months, a belief only increased by reports of an impending takeover in recent weeks.

On the pitch, the Robins are currently perched nicely in third despite suffering defeat for the first time this season at the hands of Oxford United last time out. With three wins from six and the second-top goalscorers in the division, Gerhard Struber’s men are just a point behind second-place Stoke City and five off early pace-setters Middlesbrough.

While things took a slight downturn at Ashton Gate on the pitch on Sunday, rumours have continued to circulate off the pitch about whether the Robins will soon have a major takeover, despite the truth emerging that Saudi Arabian boxing promoter and businessman Turki Alalshikh will not be buying the club as was once believed.

Further updates have emerged regarding another potential mega-money suitor.

Qatar Sports Investments will not be buying Bristol City: reports

Following recent speculation linking Bristol City with a sensational takeover by Qatari Sports Investments, talkSPORT and GiveMeSport reporter Ben Jacobs has confirmed in a post on X that there is “no truth in the rumours.”

This definitively shuts down speculation that QSI, fronted by Nasser Al-Khelaifi, were considering acquiring the Championship club. Most famous for owning European champions PSG, whom they took over in 2011 and transformed on a global scale, they also hold a 22% stake in Portuguese side Braga.

Speculation in recent days suggested that QSI were interested in acquiring a majority stake in Bristol City to expand their European domination into England, following reported rejected attempts to purchase a stake in West Ham United in 2023.

But Jacobs has confirmed that rumours linking QSI with the Robins are false. The initial report came from an unverified source on X, with the situation now resolved and the future of Bristol City’s ownership still remaining very much up in the air.

Turki Alalshikh links with Bristol City have been denied

Though reports of investment by QSI may have seemed too good to be true, reports linking Saudi billionaire Alalshikh with the Robins seemed very much real, particularly when it emerged that he had flown to England to meet owner Steve Lansdown.

Alalshikh would soon confirm that he will not be taking over the club. He said on X: “It is not true that I will buy Bristol City FC.”

This will have come as a blow to many Robins fans, who had dreamed of imminent investment to inspire a push for promotion to the Premier League. The search for investment is unlikely to be over, though, with further suitors likely to emerge in the coming weeks and months. The fact that Bristol City as a club are upwardly mobile, set up for success and with a favourable location will mean the club is an attractive prospect.

Whether Struber and his side can secure promotion this season without the financial backing of a takeover remains to be seen. They will aim to get back on track when they visit in-form Preston on Saturday (15:00 BST).