Microsoft co-founder linked to Aston Villa purchase

The Daily Mail have a quick snippet embedded in a column about the possibility of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen buying Aston Villa from Randy Lerner:

there is speculation billionaire Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the richest owner in the NFL whose Seattle Seahawks have reached back-to-back Superbowls, could be interested in buying Villa.

Allen, who was in talks to buy Southampton in 2007, part-owns MLS side Seattle Sounders. Villa are sceptical about any bid but a source involved with Allen's investment vehicle Vulcan said: ‘This is Americans talking to Americans.'

Oh, alright then. Speculation from whom? Why are Villa sceptical? Why is literally no one else reporting on this?

If this were true, it would be pretty massive. Paul Allen, as one of the co-founders of Microsoft, is fabulously wealthy. Recent estimates pin his wealth at $17.1 billion (£11.27 billion), which would put him somewhere around the 55th richest person in the world. He is the owner of the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks and a partial owner of the Seattle Sounders, one of the most successful MLS clubs.

For the former he is willing to give massive amounts of cash and let the (American) football people do their thing. For the latter, he hasn't given much in terms of time, interest, or money. If he took the approach with Aston Villa that he does with the Seahawks, it could be a boon. If he used his Sounders approach, I think most fans would be clamoring for Randy Lerner back.

But that's a lot of analysis that we probably don't need. In the total absence of anything else out there (as well as lack of sources from the Mail), I'm throwing this into the "isn't going to happen" column. If things change, we'll be sure to let you know. For now, though, let this one drop out of your mind just like the Mark Cuban rumours ages ago.

Addition: Dave Clark at Sounder at Heart has given us some more reasons why Allen probably isn't looking at Villa.