AEK takeover talks remain in progress
Negotiations between a group of investors headed by AEK’s former star striker Demis Nikolaidis and the club’s owner, British firm ENIC, for a takeover by the former remained unresolved late last night despite earlier reports of a possible deal during the day. The 30-year-old Nikolaidis – who transferred to Spanish club Atletico de Madrid last summer but remains an icon among AEK fans – and his team of investors reportedly doubled their deposit offer to 600,000 euros and pledged bank guarantees covering any prospective deal after ENIC rejected an initial offer. Reports said that no major progress in negotiations was made in the past two days, while it was noted that Nikolaidis and his team of investors were now a little more cautious than they were earlier in the week. On Tuesday, Nikolaidis and his associates had declared that the deal was virtually done. ENIC recently boosted its stake in AEK to 72 percent with the aim of financially restructuring the troubled club and then selling out. AEK’s outspoken organized fan club, »Original,» whose crass public remarks against respected coach Dusan Bajevic led to his recent resignation from the team, yesterday threatened to stage a rally in London should ENIC not accept the prospective buyer’s offer.
