Fulham have a new owner. After 17 years under the watchful eye of the eccentric but committed Mohamed Al-Fayed, a deal has been finalised to transfer stewardship of the Cottagers to Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan. The fee is currently undisclosed, but believed to be in the region of £150-200 million.
Can confirm that Shad Khan has finalized deal to purchase Fulham FC. #jaguars
— Ryan O'Halloran (@ryanohalloran) July 12, 2013
Khan, worth over $2.5 billion according to Forbes, is the latest foreign businessman to invest in the Premier League. Unlike his predecessors, however, he'll find it difficult to propel the club forward with wealth alone -- UEFA's Financial Fair Play restrictions and the Premier League's copycat laws will prevent him from substantially increasing wages at the club.
Whether or not the whisperings that Khan and the NFL might be interested in moving the Jaguars to London have had any influence on the decision to purchase one of the capital's most centrally-located club remains an open question. No matter what, though, Craven Cottage probably isn't going to see too many more Michael Jackson tributes in the near future.
Follow @SBNationSoccer on Twitter | Like SB Nation Soccer on Facebook
More in Soccer:
• Thiago, Bayern and Pep’s gamble
• Is this Totti’s last season?
• Everton sign Gerard Deulofeu on loan