Anichebe leads African consortium in advanced talks to buy Bromley

Victor Anichebe is leading an African consortium in advanced negotiations to buy League One club Bromley from owner Robin Stanton-Gleaves, talkSPORT reported. The former Everton forward is in direct talks with Stanton-Gleaves and both sides are working towards an agreement. No deal has been announced and the financial details have not been made public.

Anichebe's role at Hayes Lane

Anichebe is already heavily involved behind the scenes at the South London club, Alan Nixon reported on Patreon. The Sunderland Echo reported that he organised a training camp in Cheshire for the squad during the international break, and that summer reports had linked him to Bromley's recruitment plans before a potential deal.

Why Bromley need new money

At the time the talks were reported, Bromley were bottom of League One with nine points from 13 matches and a minus 20 goal difference, the worst in the division. They sacked manager Andy Woodman on 22 October after five and a half years in charge and had failed to win any of their three games since. The club are in their first season in the third tier after sealing promotion from League Two last season, a year after coming up from the National League in 2024. talkSPORT reported that the poor run had raised concerns about Bromley's ability to retain their League One status, increasing the need for fresh investment.

Who is buying

Anichebe, 38, founded Lumira Group, a holding company that invests in sport, education, healthcare and infrastructure in the United Kingdom, after retiring from professional football in 2018. He was involved in a proposed £20m leisure development project in Liverpool. He played for Everton, West Bromwich Albion and Sunderland and won 11 caps for Nigeria.

If completed, the deal would mark a major step into club ownership. The Sunderland Echo said a successful takeover would place Anichebe at the helm of an established EFL club.

Gateshead dispute

Anichebe was linked with a consortium looking to take control of National League club Gateshead in early 2025. That proposed takeover collapsed in May after Gateshead said the parties could not reach the final agreements required by the governing bodies. Chairman Neil Pinkerton subsequently stepped down, and the club said the failed deal left it facing significant challenges. Chronicle Live reported on 2 November that Shoreline Limited, a group led by Anichebe, was pursuing several Gateshead shareholders to recover funds invested during the earlier attempt. According to that report, the dispute was delaying the Bromley operation.

What happens next

Any completed Bromley deal would need ratification by the Football League, Yahoo Sports reported. No timetable has been made public.