Tottenham dismiss takeover interest after Daniel Levy exit

The denials come in the wake of Daniel Levy's departure as executive chairman after nearly 25 years in the role.

His exit, confirmed on Thursday, was described as a decision taken by the family of majority shareholder Joe Lewis, sparking talk of a looming takeover.

Spurs revealed that PCP International Finance Limited, fronted by Amanda Staveley, and Firehawk Holdings Limited, a consortium led by Dr Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng, had both approached the club with preliminary proposals. Neither offer was entertained.

The statement said: "As a consequence of ENIC's majority ownership interest in Tottenham Hotspur, were any offer made to acquire ENIC and complete, a mandatory offer would be required under Rule 9 of the Code to acquire the shares of Tottenham Hotspur not already held by ENIC.

"The board of the club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the club."

ENIC, which owns 86.91% of Tottenham, remains firmly in control. Of that stake, the Lewis family hold 70.12%, while Levy and his family retain 29.88%.

The ownership structure is unchanged by Levy's exit, and the board insists there is no intention to sell.

Reports of takeover interest are nothing new. Even before Levy's departure, there was speculation of interest from Middle Eastern investors and American consortiums.

Last year, Levy acknowledged talks with potential investors over a minority share sale, though nothing materialised.

Sources close to the Lewis family have stressed that recent boardroom restructuring should not be viewed as preparation for a sale.

Instead, the changes are understood to be part of a wider effort to deliver more consistent success on the pitch.