Blackburn Rovers look set to be taken over by an Indian business group in November, though not the expected one.

Venkateshware Hatcheries Group (VH Group) – Venky’s to their friends – were last week announced as preferred bidders ahead of rival Indian bids.

Venky’s are a family concern-turned huge poultry conglomerate from Pune in western India. Their takeover will reportedly cost £46m, including Rovers’ £16m debts.

 

There are conflicting estimates of the “transfer kitty” which will be available to manager Sam Allardyce, with initial reports suggesting £5m.

However, in a detailed interview in the Lancashire Telegraph newspaper, Anuradha Desai, the head of the firm, said: “We have a spending strategy for the next three years that will see the manager given significant funds to buy players.”

Mrs Desai’s brothers, Venkatesh and Balaji Rao, will be involved in Rovers’ new regime, with Balaji reportedly the “football lover” in the family.

Venkatesh, VH Group managing director, said on Tuesday of this week: “We expect to conclude the deal in the next 5-to-10 days.”

The deal will be funded from the family’s “own sources” rather than Venky’s, with the Economic Times of India reporting the source as Mumbai-based ICICI bank.

Blackburn host EPL champions and current table-toppers Chelsea this Saturday afternoon, after their injury-hit side lost 2-1 at Anfield last Sunday.

Allardyce admitted it was a “fair result for Liverpool” while bemoaning the loss of centre-halves Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba to injury and suspension respectively. Samba returns from his suspension for the Chelsea game.