Former Gabala manager to purchase Sunderland FC

Baku. 23 June. REPORT.AZ/ The Fulwell73 Consortium, which includes Tony Adams, former manager of Gabala, has strengthened works to buy the England's Sunderland football club.

Report informs citing Daily Star, the consortium have not given up on buying Sunderland despite three backers pulling out.

Others in the consortium are continuing to press ahead with the plan, with ex-Arsenal and England star Adams and former Chelsea executive Paul Smith advising them. They are set to met Dr Keith Harris - the football consultant who helped oversee the previous sales of Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Fulham, West Ham and Everton - by the end of the week to see if the sale can be salvaged.

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is asking for around £80m for the Black Cats, who were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season. Former Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is a leading candidate to become Sunderland boss if the deal goes ahead. Adams has also expressed an interest in the managers’ job.

Notably, in addition to Gabala FC, Tony Adams had disastrous spells as a manager at Wycombe, Portsmouth and Spanish Granada.