Wigan Athletic: Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi takeover of League One strugglers completed
- Published
Wigan Athletic are currently 22nd in the League One table and a point away from safety with nine games remaining
A takeover of financially-troubled League One side Wigan Athletic by a consortium led by Bahraini businessman Abdulrahman Al-Jasmi has been completed after English Football League approval.
The Latics, who entered administration in July 2020, agreed a deal with the consortium earlier in March.
It comes after a previous takeover deal fell through at the start of January.
"The past 12 months have been extremely unfortunate for everybody," new chief executive Mal Brannigan said.
"Our role and my job is to make sure this football club becomes a stable Championship club," he added to BBC Sport.
"From a business perspective, the assets that are here and the value we are getting for it. Then there is the medium to long-term vision of how we can rebuild the club, put it back on solid foundations and look to grow thereafter.
"We are not an ownership group that is going to be in and out. We are not going to flip it."
The deal ends months of uncertainty around the club, which has seen them relegated from the Championship last term before struggling in League One this season.
The sale to Phoenix 2021 Limited, a UK-based company owned by Al-Jasmi, comes after an ill-fated deal with a Spanish consortium which was initially blocked by the EFL before it collapsed.
Pressure had increased on the need for a potential deal to be completed as EFL rules prevent clubs from starting successive seasons in administration.
An EFL statement confirmed Wigan were no longer in administration following the transfer of assets to the consortium.
Talal Al-Hammad has joined the Latics as the club's new chairman.
"Personally, I feel excited and happy to start this new challenge," Al-Hammad said in a statement on the club website., external
"As a group, we have been looking forward to this day for what seems an eternity.
"I feel positive and optimistic about the club's future. I thank all the fans who stood by the club, especially in the last nine months."
Wigan remain without a permanent manager since John Sheridan left to join Swindon Town in November and are 22nd in League One, one point from safety with nine games remaining to avoid a second successive relegation.
Earlier this season, fans raised more than £650,000 to try to protect the club's future as the takeover saga continued.
