Chelsea Football Club owner eyes up National World
By Abigail Townsend
Date: Friday 28 Mar 2025
(Sharecast News) - Eldridge Media Holdings is eyeing up newspaper publisher National World, it was confirmed on Friday, amid ongoing speculation that the two groups are preparing a joint approach for The Telegraph.
AIM-listed National World, the owner of a host of regional and national titles, said it had received confirmation that EMH was considering making an approach.
EMH is the investment vehicle of Chelsea Football Club's US owner, Todd Boehly.
In a brief statement, National World - which has already agreed to be taken over by Media Concierge Holdings - noted that no details have been received from EMH, including possible terms or timing. It also did not reference The Telegraph.
However, according to Sky News, National's executive chair David Montgomery and Boehly remain in discussions about making a joint bid for the Telegraph titles.
Should a deal be agreed, it would involve combining the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers with National World's titles. The talks, which Sky said remained "tentative", first got underway in January.
Sky added that both parties were in talks with third-party backers about financing an offer, which would likely be around £500m.
Abu Dhabi-backed investment vehicle RedBird IMI paid £600m in 2023 for an option that could have seen it take control of both newspapers and The Spectator magazine.
However, the planned takeover was halted by government over concerns about overseas ownership of UK media assets.
The Spectator was eventually acquired by hedge fund billionaire Paul Marshall for £100m, but the newspapers have struggled to find a new owner, despite considerable interest from potential bidders.
Last month National World agreed to be taken over by Ireland's Media Concierge Holdings, its largest shareholder and one of its original backers, in a £65m deal.
National World was founded in 2019 by newspaper veteran Montgomery. It has snapped up a host of titles since then, with around 100 - including The Scotsman and The Yorkshire Post - acquired in 2020.
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