Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan Reportedly Negotiating to Buy Fulham FC

Jacksonville Jaguars billionaire owner Shahid Khan is in discussions with Mohamed Al-Fayed to purchase English Premier League club Fulham, reports Charles Sale of the Daily Mail.

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Sportsmail revealed this morning that Mohamed Al-Fayed was on the verge of selling the Premier League club after investing £200 million over the last 16 years in establishing them in the top flight.

And Khan, a billionaire car parts manufacturer who bought the Jaguars in December 2011, is set to complete the deal with 84-year-old Fayed by the end of this week.

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Fulham are based in London. The report makes a connection between the Cottagers' home base and Khan's agreement to play National Football League games at Wembley Stadium over the next four years. The Jaguars' owner wants an opportunity to cross-promote the brands.

The reported price being negotiated is in the range of £150 million. Sale states even executives at the club were unaware of the advanced talks to sell the club, and an official announcement is expected by Friday and possibly sooner now that details have leaked.

Khan officially completed the purchase of the Jaguars early last year after agreeing to a deal with original majority owner Wayne Weaver in late 2011.

The Pakistan native took over a Jaguars franchise that was struggling to make a consistent impact in the Jacksonville area after a string of lackluster seasons. The task, should he purchase the Cottagers, would be different.

Fulham have been a mainstay in the Premier League under the guidance of Al-Fayed, but have struggled to seriously contend with the top EPL clubs. They have regularly finished in the middle of the table, including a 12th-place finish last season.

Khan would be expected to give the club the necessary assets to become a bigger threat—first for Champions League berths and then potentially runs at the Premier League title.

From a business perspective, making a connection between the Jaguars and Fulham is a wise move on the surface. Both leagues have visions of growing across the Atlantic, and the relationship could help Khan's teams be on the cutting edge of that growth.

Nothing is official yet, however. More details should become available as the week progresses.