Kazakhstan-born businessman 'front runner' to buy Aston Villa
A controversial Kazakh-born businessman today emerged as the front runner to buy Villa.
Tevfik Arif, founder of New York-based property firm Bayrock Group and a pal of US billionaire Donald Trump, is reported to be in the hunt to buy the club from Randy Lerner.
The Villa chairman wants £200m for the club and Arif would be the first Kazakhstani Premier League owner if he was successful.
He was acquitted of all charges in April 2011.
Arif worked in hotel management for 17 years at the Soviet Ministry of Commerce and Trade. When he moved to the USA, he partnered Trump on several projects and helped build the SoHo hotel and residential tower in New York.
Lerner put Villa on the market earlier this month, after buying the club for £62.6m in 2006, and insisted he owes the fans to look for a new owner.
He has cut back on spending over the last three years which has seen Villa battle relegation, avoiding the Premier League drop by five points last season.
