An American-based consortium are in advanced talks over a takeover of League One Hamilton Academical.
The move comes as the SPFL prepare to open new disciplinary proceedings against the club over alleged irregularities surrounding the registration of amateur players.
Herald Sport understands owner Seref Zengin is ready to sell his 97% stake in 1874 Holdings Ltd for a seven figure sum to a group led by ex-patriot Scot Jack Sinclair, Chief Executive of Sprouts Farmers Market.
The sale is contingent on securing Scottish FA approval, with chairman Jock Brown laying out plans for a change of ownership to the governing body at a recent Hampden meeting.
The change of ownership comes after a chaotic chain of events when the troubled club were fined, deducted 15 points, relegated to League One and landed with a season long transfer embargo by the SPFL over allegations of player payment defaults and a failure to comply with club licensing requirements.
A dispute with the landlord of New Douglas Park Colin McGowan further prompted a decision to leave their home town and move 14 miles to Cumbernauld, prompting supporter protests.
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The loss of their Club Academy Scotland Elite status also led to the disbanding of their under-17 and under-19 teams. Academy teams from under-11s through to under-15s have also been paused for the season leaving Accies without a youth set-up for the current campaign.
The problems afflicting the Lanarkshire club seem likely to be compounded by another disciplinary run-in with the SPFL.
The season-long transfer embargo means that the club can only sign under-19 players or amateurs to bolster the squad.
And while SPFL rules state that amateur players should only be paid reasonable expenses the league have now informed Hamilton chiefs of plans to open fresh disciplinary proceedings over settlement payments made to players they subsequently tried to register as amateurs.
Hamilton were advised to avoid playing Ricki Lamie, Mikey Stone, Dean Lyness and Dylan McGowan in Wednesday night’s Challenge Cup defeat to Edinburgh City to avoid a breach of eligibility rules.
