PALMA
A whole new chapter in the history of Real Mallorca could be opened this morning when British businessman Paul Davidson and his team of advisors and lawyers present their definitive offer for chairman Vicente Grande's 93 percent stake of the club.
Both sides will have their full complement of legal and financial advisors at this morning's meeting, which is due to kick off at 10.30 at the ONO Stadium, and the two sides will use this final meeting to agree on and, Davidson expects, approve the final draft of the millionaire engineer and inventor's purchase document.
As Davidson told the Bulletin last week, he has the money on the island, although while the purchase figure has been rumoured to be between 32 million and 40 million euros, it is understood that the due diligence concluded that the club is not worth that much.
However, Davidson has made it clear right from the start that he is not buying a controlling stake in Real Mallorca for purely football reasons.
He considers the Real Mallorca name as a global business opportunity and believes that he is getting value for money.
Yesterday, over lunch by the pool at the hotel where he has been based throughout the negotiations in the Port of Andratx, Davidson said that he expects the club to be in new hands by next Sunday - Real Mallorca's first home game of the new season.
They host Osasuna.
Providing both parties agree on the final draft this morning, then it will be handed over to the administrators which have been appointed to handle the insolvency of Grande's business empire for study and approval. The creditors also have to be consulted but, with Davidson's offer the only one on the table at present, it is expected that the offer will get the green light and the purchase will go ahead.
If there are any problems, it's not with me.
Yesterday there were fresh, but false, claims that two other potential buyers had submitted bids to the administrators as Grande apparently tries to keep the price as high as possible.
Davidson yesterday spoke of the numerous plans he has for the club. The chairman has also wanted an auction scenarios instead of just one lone buyer.
Once I've sealed the deal, I'll walk away, I`ll no longer be headline news.
Only when I have a new product to market to generate funds for the club.
But, I want to give the fans the final say about the club's future, in particular moving the club away from Majorca. I want to give them a vote so that we can rule the possibility of the club ever being moved out completely.
I would also like to eventually hand the club over to the fans . a kind of legacy - but we'll have to see about that, he said.
But, first things first, and that is globalising the Real Mallorca brand name on the numerous products Davidson intends to market from his new business headquarters here on the island.
The marketing side of both the football club, which Davidson is determined Vicente Grande is going to continue to run, and the business will become the responsibility of the former Chief Executive of Everton Football Club, Keith Wyness who was also commercial and media director for British Airways and Concorde as well as the Sydney Olympics.
Wyness has been one of Davidson's best kept secrets, but today he could break cover in
Majorca.
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