The English Football League are set to gather further background information on a legal matter involving James Bord as part of their ongoing review of his proposed takeover of Sheffield Wednesday F.C..
According to reports, Bord’s consortium — named the preferred bidder to replace Dejphon Chansiri at Hillsborough in December — is still awaiting EFL approval before the deal can be finalised.
The group is believed to have tabled a £32.5 million offer for the Championship club, seeing off rival interest from Mike Ashley and the Storch family during negotiations.
Despite fresh scrutiny, the bid is not thought to be on the brink of collapse. However, the EFL are now expected to seek details regarding a reported civil case involving Bord and his business partner, Jonathan Cohen. The case allegedly centres on claims that Cohen was misled over the financial position of Spanish side Cordoba FC, with debts reportedly standing at £16.9 million despite assurances the club was debt-free at the time of investment.
It is understood that Bord has not yet been formally served, but the existence of the dispute could still form part of the league’s fit-and-proper-person assessment. With multiple directors involved in the consortium, the ratification process has already been lengthy, and this added complication may extend the timeline further.
Meanwhile, Wednesday — managed by Henrik Pedersen — are facing relegation to League One and could mathematically drop as early as this weekend. The club has been in administration since October, increasing the urgency around a resolution.
Although Bord’s group is reportedly covering ongoing financial losses while awaiting approval, supporters are growing increasingly anxious. The longer the EFL’s decision takes, the greater the concern that the takeover could yet unravel — potentially leaving the Owls back at square one during a critical period in the club’s history.
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