Prospective new owner wants Salford to win trophies

The man in advanced talks to save Salford City Reds, Dr Marwan Koukash, wants to make them a force in Super League.

Koukash is hoping to complete a deal in the near future, after the club was handed extra time to find investment by the courts on Monday.

He told the St Helens Star: “My interest is very strong. There is still a lot of ongoing talks and agreements to be made but discussions are at an advanced stage.

“My plan is not just to save Salford but to turn it around, make it a competitive team – which is capable of winning trophies. Otherwise I would not be interested.

“I have a strategy for the club that will strengthen it and make it compete at the highest level and from a financial point of view to find ways of generating more outside income.

“I reiterate the most important thing is to save the club and to lead it into a financial position where it can compete at the highest level.”

The Kuwait-born businessman has lived in Liverpool for more than 30 years, and is a millionaire racehorse owner.

Salford are reported to owe HMRC around £300,000, plus around £70,000 to former players Luke Patten and Vinnie Anderson in unpaid wages.

Their hearing, initially due to take place at the end of October, on Monday was adjourned for another four weeks – three days after their scheduled Super League opener against Wigan on February 1st.