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Swansea City are finalising a deal with American investors that could be worth as much as £100m, WalesOnline can reveal.

And it includes:

*PLANS to push ahead with the purchase and expansion of the Liberty Stadium

*AIMS to provide finance to invest in the playing squad this summer and improve club infrastructure

*KEEPING chairman Huw Jenkins in his frontline role at the club

*PROTECTING the club’s unique set-up at Premier League level with the Supporters Trust retaining both their share and their seat on the board

It is understood secret, top-level talks have been going on for more than a year to finalise a deal that would spearhead the club’s Premier League ambitions on and off the pitch.

And it is believed the deal will see current individual shareholders sell their stakes to an American investment group who will then become majority shareholders. There are no suggestions of a leveraged buy-out with no debt attached to Swansea as a result of the deal.

Trust retains stake

It will see many of the board members credited with saving the club in 2002 leaving their roles, although some are expected to retain a small percentage of shares.

Crucially, the club’s Supporters Trust’s existing position will remain the same, retaining both their 21% stake and their representative on the board with the new owners keen not to lose the connection between fans and decision-makers at the highest level.

(Image: Getty/Steve Kaplan/Twitter)

And Trust board members met with one of the figureheads for the American group before this afternoon’s Premier League clash with Chelsea, a move the Americans regarded as essential ahead of the deal being rubber stamped.

The investment group are being led by successful US businessmen Jason Levien and Stephen Kaplan, both of whom have an extensive sporting background with Levien Managing General Owner at Major League Soccer outfit DC United and Kaplan a shareholder in NBA franchise Memphis Grizzlies.

Kaplan and Levien background

Kaplan is part of the Oaktree Capital investment group, a global venture capitalist group with a string of blue-chip companies in their portfolio while former Harvard lecturer Levien has also held roles at the Philadelphia 76ers and the Grizzlies having brokered multi-million pound contracts as an NBA agent beforehand.

However, despite the pair’s sporting experience which they aim to utilise to aim the club’s ambitions of growth, part of the deal will see Jenkins - highly regarded by the Americans - continue in his current role as the Swans’ focal point, effectively a chief executive and sporting director.

(Image: Getty)

Despite struggles on the pitch this season, Swansea have won universal praise for the manner in which they have risen from financial disaster and the brink of relegation from the Football League, their refusal to jeopardise the future of the club part of their remit but not restricting ambition.

They have done this with the Trust as part of all boardroom decisions, and it is thought the stability and structure of the Swans is a major factor behind the US group’s eagerness to invest, snubbing opportunities at rival Premier League clubs in the process.

There is still the need for the Premier League to ratify the deal – such as the need to satisfy the fit and proper persons test – but fans have been reassured the investors are eager for the club to continue in the same vein with the Trust on board and they are not about to change the careful way in which the club has been run, including on matters such as ticket prices. The Trust have long maintained they would seek to consult with their members should a takeover scenario emerge.

Infrastructure investment

The Trust have long maintained they would seek to consult with their members should a takeover scenario emerge.

However, it is thought the group have the access to funds - via direct investment rather than loans against the club - to continue the incredible strides made over the past decade and ensure that they can remain competitive in the Premier League.

Furthermore, investment is also expected to be made in the club’s infrastructure which has also made rapid progress following the build of the club’s new training ground and top-grade academy site.

It is thought the terms are far more favourable for both the club and the Trust than those put on the table by US pair Charles Noell and John Jay Moores after negotiations over a share sale, revealed by WalesOnline in October 2014. The Trust voiced their opposition to that potential deal before talks collapsed in February the following year.

It has been an open secret that the current board and shareholders have been open to the possibility of seeking new investment after 14 years at the helm, aware that the club has reached a point where it now needs a new support to allow it to grow and take full advantage of its unprecedented elite level status.

Taking Swans to next level

Such issues have been illustrated at times this year with the money set aside to fund the academy development and the building of the first-team training ground restricting playing budget while expansion plans have been put on hold several times after plans were first mooted.

Individuals are set to benefit from the share sale having purchased original shares when the club was recovering from the Tony Petty era. It is not clear how much the US group are paying for shares, though the last offer valued the club at around £100m.

The group see their takeover as a long-term investment, with purchasing and expanding the stadium a key part of being able to grow the fan base and help boost plans of taking the club to the next level.

The club's statement

Swansea City have released this statement in response to our story: "Swansea City Football Club can confirm it is working to finalise to bring in a new majority shareholder. Board members have discussed an agreement which will see Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien and their investment group acquiring a controlling interest in the club.

Chairman Huw Jenkins and vice-chairman Leigh Dineen will remain in their management leadership roles of the club. Talks will continue with the aim of an agreement to be ratified by the end of the season.

Huw Jenkins said: "We believe we have a proposal which help Swansea City progress both on and off the field."

What the Supporters' Trust have said

Swansea City Cupporters’ Trust have issued this lengthy statement...

“The Swansea City Supporters Trust notes stories in the media this evening regarding a potential takeover of Swansea City Football Club, which is described as imminent.

“Representatives of the Supporters Trust met with the American businessman Jason Levien for the first time this morning. Mr Levien is representing a consortium of potential investors, including Steve Kaplan, who are interested in purchasing shares in the football club. This was very much a preliminary meeting and whilst constructive, it would be highly premature for us to reach any conclusion on whether such a sale on the terms proposed would be in the best interest of the football club and its supporters.

“We received assurances from Mr Levien that the consortium were keen to engage and work collaboratively with the Trust and supporters to progress the football club, but at this stage we have not had the opportunity to review in detail the terms of the proposed transaction. The Trust is disappointed that it was not provided with more time to consider the merits of the deal prior to it being made public.

“ The Supporters Trust also met with a number of the other club shareholders this morning. Following that meeting, we understand that this transaction is far from concluded and that we are not the only shareholder who has been kept at arms length from negotiations to date. The Supporters Trust can confirm that it has not in receipt of any offer from the consortium for the purchase of any of the Trust’s shares in the football club and at this stage is not anticipating any such offer to be made.

“As we made clear over a year ago when the club was last approached by potential purchasers, the Trust would need to consult its members in the event such an offer was made. As articles in the media have reported, it is common knowledge that some shareholders in the club have been actively working to identify potential purchasers for their shares in the football club.

“As an organisation – and as we talked about earlier in the week – we are aware of the need for investment in the club. The focus of the Trust continues to be representing the best interests of the football club and its supporters in any such discussions.”

“Trust Chairman Phil Sumbler commented: We have been aware of the terms of the potential deal for around two weeks. It has become apparent though that the discussions have been taking place since December and not all shareholders have been allowed to be part of those discussions. As we understood from two meetings I attended this morning we are not near the