Leicester City flop Ryan Bertrand eyeing £87m deal for League One club

Former Leicester City defender Ryan Bertrand is said to be leading a consortium looking to secure an £87million minority stake in League One strugglers AFC Wimbledon.

BBC Sport have reported that the ex-England international is playing a leading role in the proposed investment alongside British technology specialist Omar Mir, who is providing the financial backing for the deal.

Mir is financing the takeover proposal through Sloane Street Capital (SSC), with the investment firm planning to acquire a 34 per cent shareholding in AFCW PLC, the organisation responsible for operating the football club.

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It's claimed that the agreement would initially see SSC inject £16m into the club upon completion of the transaction. A further £71m would then be committed across five seasons, with the investment programme running until the end of the 2030/31 season.

Should it go ahead, SSC would assume responsibility for overseeing Wimbledon's football activities, with Bertrand taking up a position as senior football advisor. "AFC Wimbledon's story is unique in English football and it was built by its supporters. We felt at home from our very first meetings," Bertrand said when discussing the potential partnership. "We are not here to change what this club is.

"We are here to help it go further on and off the pitch, for the men's team, the women's team and the academy. It would be an honour to join the Wimbledon family and help write the next chapter, and we look forward to meeting members and answering their questions over the coming weeks."

Bertrand retired from football in 2024 after leaving the Foxes in 2023. He moved to the King Power Stadium in 2021 after being released from Southampton, although he only played 11 times.

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