Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi is reportedly fronting a group of investors seeking to launch a £3.1billion ($3.75bn) takeover bid for Tottenham.
A bid is expected to be submitted by Najafi and MSP Sports Capital in the coming weeks to Spurs owner Joe Lewis and chairman Daniel Levy, according to the Financial Times.
The news is likely to be welcomed by Spurs fans, who have become increasingly become vocal against the club's current ownership amid the club's wait for silverware. 'ENIC out' chants have been heard at recent matches as frustration has grown among the fanbase.
Sportsmail understands that Spurs are not the only club Najafi is interested in buying or has looked at - and that he has considered investing at another Premier League team too.
But who would Tottenham be getting if Najafi succeeds in the reported takeover bid for the North London club?
Jahm Najafi is reportedly fronting a group of investors in a £3.1bn takeover bid for Tottenham
MSP Sports Capital are expected to bid for the Premier League side in the coming weeks
Fans have increasing called for ENIC and the club's chairman Daniel Levy to leave the club
Who is Jahm Najafi?
Born in Iran, Najafi immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with his family.
Having been unable to speak English, Najafi is reported to have learned the language by watching television, including the NBA finals involving the Phoenix Suns - the NBA team where he would later become a partial owner and vice-chair.
He received a BA from University of California, before graduating with a Masters in Business Economics from Harvard University.
Najafi served as a partner and chief operating officer of private investment firm Pivotal Group between 1990 and 2002, having previously spent four years working for Salomon Brothers Investment Banking.
The 60-year-old founded Najafi Companies in 2002 and serves at the CEO of the international private investment firm. In 2021, Najafi was reported to have a net worth of £2.9bn.
The firm's website says it has holdings in sport, media, technology, consumer, and real estate sectors across several countries, adding it it only invests its internally generated capital and targets sectors which are underserved or undergoing rapid transformation.
Najafi, who has reportedly acquired over 30 businesses during his career, also serves as the chairman of MSP Sports Capital.
MSP Sports Capital was founded in New York in 2019, with the group declaring it invests in 'sports teams, leagues, and businesses in the sports ecosystem that are pursuing ambitious, challenging tasks'.
Najafi - pictured with his wife Cheryl - has invested in Formula One, football and basketball
Najafi became vice-chairman of McLaren after MSP Partners invested in December 2020
Personal life and philanthropy
Najafi is reported to serve on the board of several philanthropic boards, with the billionaire founding Social Venture Partners Arizona and Mission Advancement, which seek to enhance diversity and equity.
Najafi and his wife Cheryl committed $10million to the NBA Foundation to drive economic empowerment for Black communities in 2021, adding to the league's overall $300m in initial funding by 30 NBA teams.
The NBA Foundation said the investment of $1m per year over the next 10 years, would be used to drive economic empowerment for Black communities through employment and career advancement. Najafi was described by the organisation as a proven leader in sports and business and advocate for social justice
In 2021, Najafi was reported to have partnered with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to raise up to $287m to invest in social justice.
Najafi's wife Cheryl is an an American author, speaker and businesswoman. The couple have one son and two daughters.
What are his other sporting investments?
Najafi is principally known in the sporting world as the partial owner and vice-chair of NBA side Phoenix Suns.
The NBA team was sold earlier this month by majority owner Robert Sarver after he was given one-year ban and $10m fine by the NBA following a league investigation into allegations that he engaged in racism, sexism, and bullying. Najafi had urged Sarver to resign following the investigation.
The sale was completed earlier this month, but Najafi was one of three minority owners to maintain their stakes. He also serves as a governor on the NBA board.
Najafi is principally known in sport for being a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns
The billionaire partnered with former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to raise money for social justice initiatives in 2021
Najafi increased his sporting portfolio by investing in the McLaren F1 team in late 2020, collaborating with MSP Sports Capital and UBS O’Connor LLC.
The investment of $248.5m gave the investors an 15 per cent share of the F1 team, which rose the 33 per cent at the end of 2022. Following the investment, Najafi was named as the vice-chair of the team.
The New York based company last October acquired a majority interest from ESPN in the X Games. declaring the investment into the action sports event.
MSP Sports Capital said their investment in the action sports event was part of the firm's desire to build a 'best-in-class sports portfolio'.
Notably the firm said this included a 'global soccer consortium', with Najafi has increasing entered the world of football in recent years.
What is his interest in football?
MSP Sports Capital was involved in takeovers of Portuguese club Estoril and Spanish side Alcorcon takeovers in 2019.
Belgian side Wassland-Beveren were added to their growing list of clubs in 2020, with Augsburg in Germany and Brondby in Denmark also in their portfolio.
Crystal Palace shareholder David Blitzer is among the investors in each of the clubs.
Tottenham would mark their biggest foray into football as part of the Premier League's 'Big Six' and a regular participant in the Champions League over the past decade.
MSP Sports Capital's board also includes Jeff Moorad, who previously held talks about investing in Tottenham in 2015.
Jahm Najafi (circled) attended Everton's home match against Southampton in January
Augsburg are among the clubs to feature in MSP Sports Capital's growing portfolio
The North London side are understood to not be the only Premier League club Najafi has considered investing in.
Only last month, Najafi had been reported to have been in preliminary discussions over investing in Everton.
The businessman had been photographed at Goodison Park for their match against Southampton.
The match had seen Everton’s current board of directors be advised to stay away owing to threats to their security.
