Ex-England defender Bertrand eyes £87m AFC Wimbledon deal

Ryan Bertrand leading a consortium that has proposed an £87m minority investment into League One side AFC Wimbledon. Ryan Bertrand made 19 international appearances for England during his career Former England defender Ryan Bertrand is leading a consortium that has proposed an £87m minority investment in League One side AFC Wimbledon. Bertrand, who played for Chelsea, Southampton, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest during his career, is at the forefront of the group with British technology expert Omar Mir, who is the sole funder of the proposed minority share buyout through investment vehicle Sloane Street Capital (SSC). The Dons Trust board presented their proposals to its members on Wednesday night. SSC would invest £16m on completion for a minority 34% of the shares in AFCW PLC, the company that runs the club.

The remaining £71m would be spread over five seasons to the 2030-31 campaign. If the deal is successful, SSC would oversee football operations, led by Bertrand as senior football advisor, but work within budgets and processes agreed by the AFCW PLC board. The Dons Trust currently own 50.01% of the voting shares of AFC Wimbledon, which was designed to ensure the club remains fan-controlled. Bertrand, who won the Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League with Chelsea, said: "AFC Wimbledon's story is unique in English football and it was