South Melbourne FC offered A-League club Melbourne Heart a 100 per cent buyout last week.
This is the second time South Melbourne offered the club a buyout, putting more than $3.5 million on the table in its attempts to become a bigger player in the A-League.
Melbourne Heart CEO Scott Munn told Neos Kosmos that the deal was something the two had been in talks with for some time.
“South Melbourne see it as something they would love and wish to purchase it, and the owners of Melbourne Heart have rejected that, and that’s really where it remains,” he said.
South Melbourne Club Director Tom Kalas revealed to Neos Kosmos the price wasn’t right for Melbourne Heart and they quickly rejected the bid.
“Their issue is they wanted a lot more than we were prepared to pay for it,” he said.
In a statement this week by Melbourne Heart, the tone suggested the club’s owners were not keen to sell.
To quash speculation that the club was in financial strife, the club felt it necessary to say that “the club will announce a small profit at the end of this financial year.”
Tom Kalas says the team is looking at new ways to raise revenue and has already cut players.
“They’ve done an admirable job in attempting to be that strong second club in Melbourne but unfortunately it’s not working,” he says.
“We are ready to take on that next A-League spot in Melbourne or hopefully take on a third licence if they make it available.”
South Melbourne has made no secret of its attempts to be promoted into the A-League and has been in talks with a few teams to secure that.
Fox Sports commentator and football great Mark Bosnich endorsed the club fully in its attempts and said they will secure a spot soon.
The club is so adamant it will get a spot, they’ve already made moves to secure staff, saying they’ve received an expression of interest from Brazilian great Émerson Ferreira da Rosa and have “already secured major sponsors”.
