Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has reportedly been in talks with Crystal Palace owner Steve Parish over the possibility of purchasing the South London club, according to reports from Goal.com
The former Manchester City owner, who sold the Citizens to Sheikh Mansour back in 2008, is now looking to return to Premier League football after an 11-year absence. His time in Manchester lasted for only a single season, where the side finished 9th after spending approximately £50m on player acquisitions.
The news was reportedly broken by the ex-chairman of Thai League club Chiangrai United Miti Tiyapairat, who claims that the deal to purchase the club could be in the region of £150m.
If the deal goes through, Thaksin will be the fourth Thai owner currently in the English football system. Leicester City are famously owned by Thais, and won the league against 5000-1 odds back in 2016 under the stewardship of the late Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Additionally, Championship side Sheffield Wednesday are owned by Dejphon Chansiri, whose family controls the Thai Union group, the world’s largest producer of canned Tuna.
Most recently, EFL League One outfit Oxford United were bought by Thai businessman Sumrith Thanakarnjanasuth, after he sold his stake in Reading FC to investors from China.