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It's no surprise that Red Bull are looking to takeover a club in England. According to a report in The Sun this morning, West Ham are at the top of their list.
The Austrian Energy Drinks giant has caused outrage among fans in Germany where RB Leipzig are battling for the Bundesliga title during their first season in the top flight. Fans are furious with Red Bull who have creatively got round Germany's 50+1 ownership rule to fund their rapid rise to the top.
Rumours have been circulating for several years that the company are looking for an English club to invest in. Given that the Premier League is the most proliferated league in the world, it makes sense that they would want a successful English team to push the Red Bull brand.
The Sun state that they are interested in West Ham due to "its location in the capital and the iconic venue" and report that a £200m bid is "being lined up". They continue:
Under UEFA rules Red Bull could not fully own another European club in case they draw Salzburg or Leipzig in the Champions or Europa League. However, they can become major shareholders, bankrolling ambitious recruitment drives and expansions through extravagant shirt sponsorship deals, stadium renaming deals and a change in the club’s name to include their own.
David Sullivan has persistently stated that West Ham were not for sale and that he and his partner David Gold intend on handing ownership of the club to their children however he has conceded several times that they could "sell a minority shareholding to clear our debts". Whether Red Bull would be OK with that or whether they would only be interested in a controlling share isn't clear.
Personally if there was a prospective owner that brought with them what Red Bull can, large financial clout to be used on intelligent and savvy recruitment, I would be for a takeover. However, I would be troubled by any kind of rebrand of the club. I had a hard enough time getting over the new badge. Red Bull London Olympic would be a horrific sight to behold, no matter how many trophies they won.