Barnsley CEO 'quite confident' over new Oakwell lease and dismisses takeover rumours
BARNSLEY chief executive officer Khaled El-Ahmad says he is 'quite confident' that the club will agree a new lease later this season to stay at Oakwell.
The current arrangement is due to finish in 2027. Oakwell is jointly owned by Barnsley MBC and the Cryne family.
El-Ahmad said: "We are having good discussions and I am positive. With negotiations you never know, but I would hope at some point this season."I am quite confident we are having relevant discussions where I can see an end.”
On what the ideal arrangement would be, he added: "To stay here for many, many years to come."
In the previous tenure of ex joint-chairmen Paul Conway and Chien Lee, Barnsley abandoned plans to buy Oakwell amid a legal dispute with the Cryne family.
Back in June, the club's new-look board said they were not trying to buy the council’s half of Oakwell but stressed they were making progress in re-negotiating a rent agreement.
El-Ahmad added: "When we have agreed on the lease, then we will explain more.”
El-Ahmad has also dismissed talk of possible takeover interest from a mystery English group and says the club's board are fully committed.
He added: "No-one has contacted me or anyone at the board. It's just a rumour. I don't get that feeling at all. None of the discussions are in and around selling the club.”
The new-look board's financial commitment saw them inject £1m to help with operational costs in the summer and a further £3.2m of equity arrived last month to help see the club through to January.
El-Ahmad added: "They put in more money into the club to continue to help with the operational costs. As Neerav (Parekh - chairman) said in the fans’ forum, the club is not going bankrupt.”