Dejphon Chansiri faces questions as Sheffield Wednesday F.C. takeover talks take strange turn

May 1 is the date David Storch and Arise Capital are targeting for EFL approval of their takeover of Sheffield Wednesday— a milestone that could finally bring an end to one of English football’s most turbulent ownership sagas.

For a club already relegated to League One after a disastrous campaign and still dealing with the uncertainty of administration, it would at least provide something long absent: clarity.

There have been signs of progress. Storch has travelled to Sheffield, met players and staff, and attempted to establish a sense of stability ahead of a crucial summer. Optimism had even grown that a deal could be completed before the final-day clash with West Bromwich Albion.

Yet the key obstacle has never disappeared.

EFL rules require clubs exiting administration to repay creditors at least 25p in the pound or face a 15-point deduction. That issue is particularly complicated given the club’s largest creditor is Dejphon Chansiri — the owner widely blamed for the club’s decline.

Arise’s reported £20 million offer appears insufficient to meet that threshold, placing huge importance on negotiations with Chansiri. Those discussions had reportedly been progressing — but now seem to have stalled once again.

Claims from Chansiri that alternative bidders are willing to meet his demands have been dismissed by critics as a familiar negotiating tactic, one that has repeatedly disrupted progress in the past.

With the May 1 deadline looming, uncertainty has returned at the worst possible moment. Missing it would not only risk a points deduction but also severely impact preparations for life in League One.

After years of instability, the danger for Wednesday is not just punishment — but entering another season unprepared, directionless, and once again playing catch-up.