West Bromwich Albion have had a tough few months financially, and worked under an EFL-imposed business plan over the summer to help fix some of their issues.
The Baggies were still able to sign players, but had to be careful about how much money they were spending, just months after their takeover by Shilen Patel was confirmed.
The American is the club’s majority shareholder, acquiring 87.8% of West Brom from Chinese businessman Guochuan Lai in February 2024.
Patel made the takeover through one of his and his father, Kiran Patel’s, companies, Bilkil Football WBA. The deal took nearly two weeks to go through after it was first announced, but after passing the EFL’s tests, he has been the owner of the club ever since.
The takeover was approved by supporters, with one of the Baggies’ fan groups, WBA Independent Supporters Trust, welcoming the deal after a few years of worry following relegation from the top flight in 2021.
They said on their X account at the time: “Welcome Mr Patel to the Albion family. We are looking forward to you being the custodian the fans and our precious club deserve. COYB 💙🤍”
Football League World has taken a look at the American’s net worth, and how it compares to some of the top owners in the Premier League.
Shilen Patel’s net worth
It was reported that Patel paid £60 million for West Brom, becoming the chairman as part of the deal.
He is also a minority shareholder in Italian Serie A club Bologna, having bought a percentage of the team in 2014. It could mean a working relationship between the two sides in the future, similar to that of Udinese and Watford.
Nevertheless, the American is estimated to have a net worth of $100 million (£75.3 million), as per Birmingham Live, but that is not where his wealth ends.
It has been stated by Birmingham Live in the same article that his father has a net worth of $400 million (£301.3 million), and with Patel taking over the family business, some of this will have been passed down from that.
Compared to owners in the Premier League, West Brom’s owner is right towards the bottom of the table, according to GiveMeSport’s guide. His personal wealth puts him last in that particular list, below Brentford’s owner, Matthew Benham, who is believed to have a net worth of £216.3 million.
But, when compared to his father’s and potentially now his own net worth, Patel rises to 19th, above Benham, and just below Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis, whose net worth is estimated to be £479 million, according to the table.
Patel has brought back structure to West Brom
Since his arrival in February, the Baggies look to be in a much better state, despite their current business plan.
It was announced by the club, just a month into Patel’s tenure, that he had paid off an outstanding loan that was owed by the previous ownership. It was a situation that was dealt with quickly and professionally, allowing Carlos Corberan and his team to focus purely on football.
His seemingly calm style of ownership is being repaid by those who make the difference on the pitch, and after reaching the play-offs in 2023/24, West Brom have started the new season excellently.
| West Bromwich Albion League Positions Under Shilen Patel | |
|---|---|
| Season | Position |
| 2023/24 | 5th |
| 2024/25 | 1st |
| *Stats correct as of 19/09/2024, after 5 league games | |
Supporters will be hoping that the good times that the club are experiencing currently can continue in the long-term, with Patel a fan favourite already.
