Ryan Bertrand leads consortium to make £87m investment in EFL club

Former England defender Ryan Bertrand is leading a consortium proposing a £87m minority investment in AFC Wimbledon. Bertrand enjoyed a 17-year career playing for the likes of Chelsea , Southampton and Aston Villa , and is now at the forefront of a group looking to acquire a stake in the League One side. The former full-back has teamed up with British technology expert Omar Mir, who is the sole funder of the proposed minority share buyout through investment vehicle Sloane Street Capital (SSC). In a complicated deal, SSC are looking to pay £16m for approximately 34 per cent of the club’s shares this season. They then plan to invest a further £71m over the next five years, at which point SSC would own 90 per cent of the club’s economic value. AFC Wimbledon are owned by supporters in the form of the 6,265-strong Dons Trust, who currently own 50.01 per cent of the voting shares at the club – designed to ensure it remains fan-controlled. After the Dons Trust board presented SSC’s proposal to its members on Wednesday night, they will now vote on whether to accept it. For the proposal to be approved, a 75 per cent majority is needed, with at least 50 per cent of the members voting, and that majority must account for at least 40 per cent of the total membership, with voting closing on November 17. If the deal is successful, SSC would oversee football operations, led by Bertrand as senior football advisor, but work within budgets and processes agreed by the AFCW PLC board. The move would also see two of SSC’s minority shareholders, investment fund boss Stuart Fiertz and sports executive Oliver Ward, joining the club’s board. Bertrand: Wimbledon role would be an ‘honour’ Bertrand, who won the Champions League , FA Cup and Europa League with Chelsea, recently discussed his hopes of being involved at Plough Lane. He said: “AFC Wimbledon’s story is unique in English football and it was built by its supporters. We felt at home from our very first meetings. “We are not here to change what this club is. We are here to help it go further on and off the pitch, for the men’s team, the women’s team and the academy. “It would be an honour to join the Wimbledon family and help write the next chapter, and we look forward to meeting members and answering their questions over the coming weeks.” Under the terms of the proposed deal, the Dons Trust voting rights would be unaffected. They would hold veto control of the Plough Lane – known as the Cherry Red Record Stadium sponsorship reasons – freehold. Other ideas floated as part of the potential investment include SSC taking two of the 12 seats on the club board, as well as an observer position. Meanwhile, the Dons Trust would retain veto over the club’s name, badge, colours, ground and constitution. If SSC were to sell its stake, the Dons Trust would have first refusal and could block anyone they deem unsuitable investors. Also included in the terms of a potential deal, SSC would see its share of AFC Wimbledon’s value would stop growing immediately in the event of the consortium missing a payment. Control would then return to the club within three months. Earlier this year, the Dons Trust voted in favour of external investment as long as fan ownership and control were protected. Since then, the board has considered more than 20 potential investors, with SSC emerging as the strongest. As for Bertrand, should a deal transpire, this would represent his first venture into club ownership after retiring from football at Leicester in 2023. Angus Fox, chair of the Dons Trust board, said of SSC’s proposal: “The deal brings at least £87million into AFC Wimbledon over five years, while the Trust keeps a permanent majority of the votes, control of the Plough Lane freehold and a veto over everything that makes us who we are. “We have set out the factors to weigh as plainly as the opportunities. “The board recommends a yes vote, but this is our members’ club and our members’ decision.”