For a second time in a fortnight, there has been a link between West Ham and Shamrock Rovers.
On March 8th, the Daily Mail reported that the Premier League side were considering an agreement with Rovers which would allow them loan players to the League of Ireland team and so speed up work permit applications. Rovers subsequently denied that such a deal was in the works.
Today's Irish Sun brings news of a possibly much more lucrative deal for the Tallaght-based side.
According to Neil O'Riordan, West Ham co-owner David Sullivan is part of a consortium which is considering a major investment in Shamrock Rovers. The members-owned and run club today votes on if it will accept a bid from one of those members to purchase a 50 percent stake.
The Sullivan consortium is pondering a rival bid. Most intriguingly, that bid could include an investment of €15m - €20m over a five-year time scale. The majority of that money would go towards the creation of a full-time academy at the club.
It is also an investment which could create a major chasm between Rovers and other League of Ireland sides in terms of financial muscle.
Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
