Daniel Levy set for smaller Tottenham stake after missed deadline
Daniel Levy is set to see his stake in Tottenham fall slightly after missing a deadline to take part in a club share issue, the Press Association understands.
A £100m cash injection was provided to the football club this summer by the Lewis family, which runs Spurs’ majority owner Enic and has assumed a larger role in decision-making since Levy stepped down as executive chairman last September.
That investment raised the Lewis family’s holding in Tottenham to around 88 per cent, and Levy was offered the opportunity to buy his proportionate share to prevent dilution, but failed to meet the cutoff.
According to sources close to the Lewis family, minority shareholder Levy was granted 60 days to invest at the matching price to maintain his ENIC stake at approximately 29 per cent.
Levy is said to have agreed to the funding commitment before ultimately missing Monday’s deadline to contribute his proportionate share.
“Daniel committed to funding and failed to do so, despite the extended deadline,” a source close to the Lewis family told PA.
“The family is focused on the football, investing in the team, backing the management and creating a stable environment for the club.”
The development follows unverified reports earlier in the summer that Levy had sold his 24.99 per cent share in Enic to American tech entrepreneur Brooklyn Earick.
Earick, chief executive of sports investment company Eight Sports Capital, claimed Levy had sold his stake in Spurs’ parent firm, but an ENIC spokesperson said: “We can confirm that neither Enic nor Tottenham Hotspur Football Club are aware of any sale by Daniel Levy’a family trust of its minority stake in Enic.”
PA has approached Levy’s representatives for comment.
Meanwhile, PA understands the Lewis family forms part of a consortium which has submitted an offer in an ongoing auction to buy a London-based basketball team in the soon-to-be created NBA Europe franchise.
It has been a busy summer for Tottenham and the Lewis family, with £237m spent on revamping Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, while key defenders Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven have signed new long-term contracts.
Further reinforcements in attack are targeted during the final three weeks of the transfer window and outgoings will continue, with young forward Yang Min-Hyeok joining Belgian outfit Westerloo on a season-long loan.
