Thaksin

LONDON (AP):

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA has cleared the final hurdle in his bid to take over Manchester City.

The former Thai Prime Minister, who is set to become the latest foreign owner of an English soccer club, offered £81.6 million (€121 million; US$162 million) for City, and the Premier League club's board recommended yesterday that its shareholders to accept the bid.

The development at Manchester City came after Thai prosecutors announced they had filed corruption charges against Thaksin in his homeland. But the military council that overthrew Thaksin, now living in exile in England, said they would not oppose his takeover of Manchester City.

Other foreign owners in the Premier league include Russia's Roman Abramovich of Chelsea and Alexandre Gaydamak of Ports-mouth; American business-men Malcolm Glazer of Manchester United, George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks of Liverpool and Randy Lerner of Aston Villa; Iceland's Eggert Magnusson of West Ham; and Egypt's Mohamed al Fayed of Fulham.

Blackburn and Birmingham City are also reportedly negotiating with potential foreign owners.

In a a statement issued yesterday through the Plus Markets stock exchange, City announced Thaksin's proposal and its recommendation to shareholders.

"I am delighted that the board of Manchester City has recommended my bid for the club," Thaksin said in a statement. "I look forward to continuing the excellent work of (chairman) John Wardle and his team.

"We share a determination to take the club back to its rightful place at the highest level of competition in both the FA Premier League and European football."

Thaksin is widely expected to appoint former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson as the team's manager. City fired manager Stuart Pearce at the end of last season, and the next season starts on August 11.