FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FA Cup - Semi Final - Manchester City v Sheffield United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - April 22, 2023 Sheffield United fans inside the stadium hold up a flag during the match REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo
(Reuters) - Sheffield United have been taken over by COH Sports, the Championship club said on Monday, after the American consortium completed a buyout from Saudi Arabia's United World Group.
COH Sports is led by Steven Rosen, founder and chairman of Resilience Capital Partners, and Helmy Eltoukhy, co-founder and chairman of biotech company Guardant Health. Both will join the United board as co-chairmen with immediate effect.
"COH Sports, a group of successful entrepreneurs, business partners and friends, established to invest in sporting opportunities, is delighted to confirm the acquisition of the Blades," a club statement said.
The group has acquired 100% of Blades Leisure Ltd, the club's parent company, from United World Holdings, led by Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who have been involved with the club since 2013.
The Blades join a growing list of English clubs with U.S. owners. Everton's takeover by Texas-based Friedkin Group last week means that 10 of the 20 Premier League clubs are now under majority American ownership.
Sheffield United, managed by Chris Wilder, were relegated from the Premier League last season and are currently top of the second-tier Championship.
"Like all Blades fans we want to see the club competing in the top flight of English football consistently, not just on a one-off basis, and we have been encouraged by the strong start to this season," the new owners said.
"The team has been performing strongly and we are committed to supporting the management team to continue this progress."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by David Goodman)
