Amid Sheffield Wednesday takeover rumours, who is John Textor - which other clubs has he owned, net worth and is he married?

As previously reported by NationalWorld, the Championship club filed for administration last week after a myriad of financial difficulties.

Former owner Dejphon Chansiri repeatedly struggled to pay staff on time, and having placed the club in administration has been stripped of his position at the helm. Now, the search is on for a new owner, following a 12 point deduction.

According to journalist Alan Nixon, one man has already thrown his hat into the ring, and comes with plenty of experience running football clubs.

Writing on his Patreon, he revealed that John Textor has emerged as a candidate to take over at Sheffield Wednesday. The American businessman is looking to get back into the footballing world after his departure from another club this summer.

So who is John Textor, which clubs has he run before and what sort of financial backing would he be bringing to the Championship side?

Who is John Textor?

American is an American business owner who made his fortune thorough Wyndcrest Partners, a private investment firm he set up in the 1990s. He invested in multiple internet and entertainment companies, including Art Technology Group and Digital Domain.

An extended member of the wealthy du Pont family, the 60-year-old spent his youth competing in freestyle skateboarding events in Florida, and kept his passion for sports when it came to investment opportunities.

In 2021, Textor began investing in football, taking ownership of multiple football clubs through his company, Eagle Football Holdings.

Which clubs has John Textor owned?

Over the course of 18 months, Textor took ownership shares in four different football clubs - all competing in top-flight leagues around the world.

In August 2021, he acquired around 40 per cent of Premier League side Crystal Palace. His investment was eventually rewarded with silverware, as Palace won the FA Cup and qualified for the Europa League last season.

But due to Textor’s ownership of another European club, Palace were dumped out of the tournament by UEFA - even after the businessman sold his shares.

That other team, which the American took a controlling stake of in December 2022, was Olympique Lyonnais. The Ligue 1 side was provisionally relegated in 2024, but reinstated to the top of French football after an appeal.

In December 2021, Textor acquired Belgian club RWD Molenbeek; an attempted name change to Daring Brussels was met with a fierce backlash from fans, before the 60-year-old settled on the name RWDM Brussels.

Early in 2022, Textor also became an owner for Botafogo, one of the most prolific teams in Brazil. This year, the club was among five to be nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or men’s team of the year.

John Textor net worth

With a massive portfolio of investments, John Textor has accumulated an eye-watering net worth.

According to Finance Monthly, the American has a net worth somewhere in the region of $3.4bn (£2.5bn) after selling his shares in Crystal Palace for £190m.

Is John Textor married?

John Textor has been married to wife Debbie Textor for decades, with the couple also raising two children.

The couple frequently attend sporting events together, and were in the crowd at Wembley when Crystal Palace won the FA Cup last season.