A-League still waiting on Western United sale documentation

Open Extended Reactions

A-League boss Stephen Conroy says the competition has yet to receive a formal takeover bid for crisis-stricken Western United, who are facing fresh breach notices from players for unpaid wages.

United parent company Western Melbourne Group (WMG) announced in May that the Kaminski family, through the KAM Melbourne subsidiary of their KAM Sports business, was set to acquire a controlling stake in both the financially troubled club and the broader real estate project being overseen by WMG. However, the deal is yet to be completed.

Members of Western United's A-League Men's and Women's squads were paid late for the third month in a row in June, leading to the yet another lodgement of breach notices for unpaid wages by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) last Friday. This has kick-started a process that will allow the players to void their contracts and become free agents should they not be paid within 14 days. The club has also fallen behind on payments to non-playing staff.

"We have not yet received a formal proposal from KAM," Conroy told ESPN in a statement. "Discussions are ongoing; any change in ownership is subject to receiving and reviewing the required documentation in line with our governance framework.

"We acknowledge KAM's intent to invest in Western United FC and are awaiting the submission of formal documentation to review. We have met with KAM and this process is ongoing."

In addition to the breach notices, Western United still remains subject to a registration ban issued by FIFA in April, which prevents them from signing new players to their men's side. Coach John Aloisi's contract concluded following the end of the 2024-25 A-League Men season, with no official word on the former Socceroo's status with the club.

"The current situation at the club is placing enormous strain on the players and the staff, who, despite the circumstances, have continued to demonstrate truly remarkable levels of professionalism," PFA chief executive Beau Busch told ESPN in a statement.

"The situation they have been placed in is regrettably not a one-off but rather the third month in a row where they have been paid late. This is something that I cannot recall having previously occurred in the league.

"The absence of an effective league governance model and the unwillingness of [A-League regulators] Football Australia and [A-League administrators] the Australian Professional Leagues to enforce their regulations has resulted in players being left to fight for their most basic entitlement as employees."

Conroy's statement came following claims on Football Fever on Sunday evening from agent Tony Rallis, whose clients include former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold, that KAM Melbourne would not be approved by regulators.

"[United are] late 11 days on paying [players], yet again," said Rallis. "There's no certainty when they're going to get paid.

"The [A-League], from my understanding, has made a decision that these new owners [KAM] are not fit and proper yet no one is prepared to ring them and say 'listen, clowns, go' and say to the current owners 'mate you're either going to put up your money or this isn't looking good.'"

Known globally for their attempts to purchase Premier League side Everton, the Kaminski family were also previously linked to the purchases of Belgian club KV Kortrijk, Greek side Panetolikos and Swiss outfit Bellinzona.

Talks progressed to the point that the Kaminski family were unveiled as new owners of both Kortrijk and Panaitolikos, only for the deals to collapse amid allegations of missed payment deadlines and duplicity in both Belgium and Greece.

"Each opportunity had particular circumstances which we were unable to overcome and complete the transaction," Mikhail Kaminski told ESPN in May in response to questions about these failed takeovers.

Western United have been approached for comment.

Click here to read article