American bidders 'not serious at the moment' - Wigan Athletic administrator

Gerald Krasner doesn't believe the American consortium fronted by Oostende CEO Gauthier Ganaye are 'serious bidders' for Wigan Athletic at present - despite them meeting the asking price for the club and Christopher Park training ground.
Gerald KrasnerGerald Krasner
Gerald Krasner

Krasner confirmed the group - backed by American financiers Randy Frankel and Michael Kalt - have submitted a £500,000 bid for the Standish Lower Ground base, plus a token £1 for the club.

But the Latics co-administrator says their lack of a plan for the DW Stadium - which is up for grabs at a cool £3million - means the offer had to be turned away.

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When asked by the Wigan Post if they'd met the asking price for the club and the training ground, Krasner replied: "Yes they have.

"But then there's no stadium to play in, is there?

"They're not interested in the stadium.

"Somebody still has to be the stadium and then come to a deal with the Americans.

"Whatever you write and whatever you do on this will be wrong, I'll tell you now, because I'm not going to tell the whole story today."

Two fresh bidders are also understood to have gatecrashed the process, with Wigan's costly wage bill having been slashed by the recent flood of sales.

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"What I will say is talks are progressing with a number of very serious bidders," Krasner confirmed.

"I don't think the Americans are serious bidders at the moment.

"They're running their campaign through the media, despite doing an NDA (non-disclosure agreement).

"They are telling the media certain things that suit them, and other things that don't suit them are not being disclosed.

"When I do my next press conference, I will cover it.

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"They don't understand, and I'm not going into the details now.

"But they have put that offer in, which we would accept under certain conditions, which they won't accept."

Krasner confirmed there had been no offers for the DW Stadium as yet, and refused to say whether any more players would be leaving.

"No comment," he added. "I'm not making it easy for you, I know, but it has to be done this way."

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