John Textor and Evangelos Marinakis are closing in on a €100 million buyback of Botafogo — a massive move that could have a direct impact on Sheffield Wednesday’s future. With Textor previously linked to buying the Owls, this development may either block or boost that possibility.
Overview
A major development has emerged from Brazil involving two of football’s most active investors: John Textor and Evangelos Marinakis. Reports suggest the duo is on the brink of completing a high-stakes €100 million buyback deal for Brazilian club Botafogo. The move would allow Botafogo to exit the Eagle Football structure, where it was previously entangled with Lyon under Ares Management.
While this might be great news for Botafogo, it could have serious implications for Sheffield Wednesday. If the buyback goes through, it may complicate or even end Textor’s reported interest in acquiring Sheffield Wednesday. However, some sources suggest Wednesday could still play a role in this evolving multi-club puzzle.
What You Need to Know
- Textor and Marinakis are working on a €100m buyback of Botafogo from Eagle Football.
- Marinakis (owner of Nottingham Forest) would become majority stakeholder, with Textor managing Botafogo.
- Botafogo and RWDM Brussels would join Marinakis’ network: Forest, Olympiacos, Rio Ave.
- Sheffield Wednesday is reportedly “Plan B” if the Botafogo deal falls through.
- Some deal structures still allow for Textor to buy Wednesday independently.
Key Talking Points
- Concerns over EFL rules: Fans fear dual ownership could prevent any deal involving Forest and Wednesday.
- Separate paths: Textor may still buy Wednesday as long as it’s structurally separate from Forest.
- Financial boost: Marinakis would bring stability to Botafogo while freeing Textor to invest elsewhere.
- Multiple deal options: Up to 5 deal structures being explored; none tie Textor to Forest.
- Fan split: Some believe Textor’s interest is over, others think he’s still in play.
Our Take
All the reports from Brazil suggest that a buyback deal for Botafogo is close, involving Evangelos Marinakis, the owner of Nottingham Forest. Now this is where things get a bit unclear. Some think that if Textor teams up with Marinakis, he can’t buy us — Sheffield Wednesday — because of EFL rules on multi-club ownership, especially involving two English clubs.
But the story isn’t that simple.
We’ve spoken to journalists who follow Botafogo closely, and they say Sheffield Wednesday is still very much “Plan B” if the Botafogo deal collapses. That means if the buyback doesn’t go through, Textor could shift focus and make us his main football project. However, even if the deal does happen, it doesn’t mean Textor can’t buy us — as long as there’s no structural connection to Forest.
Apparently, there are 3 to 5 different ways this deal could be arranged between Textor and Marinakis. In all of them, Textor wouldn’t be investing in Forest, only in Botafogo. That could leave the door open for him to buy us separately. Questions might be raised by the EFL, sure, but nothing is outright banned at this stage.
There’s even been talk of Wednesday becoming a “feeder club” within the wider network, although that’s all speculative for now.
Some fans are convinced Textor isn’t buying us. Others believe he still might. The truth? He wants to buy us. He’s said as much. That doesn’t mean he will. It all depends on how the Botafogo buyback plays out, how it’s structured, and whether Chansiri is finally ready to sell.
We could still be stuck in limbo for months. But one thing’s for sure: this Botafogo deal could be a defining moment for the future of Sheffield Wednesday.
John Textor’s next move could shape the future of our club. Will it be Botafogo? Will it be Wednesday? Or is there room for both? Let us know what you think over on our socials — is this the beginning or the end of the Textor-Wednesday saga?
This article is based on information reported by @EspacoGlorioso, @CanalDoManel_, and Brazilian media outlets such as Fogaonet. Interpretations and commentary reflect our understanding at the time of writing. No official confirmation has been made regarding Textor’s future with Sheffield Wednesday.
