John Akinde Vote...First of it kind

Ebbsfleet United have received an offer from a League club to purchase striker John Akinde.

This request to buy John Akinde follows a number of offers, from several different clubs over the last few months. Thus far, none of the previous offers – in the view Liam Daish, the CEO and Chairman – were in the best interests of the football club.

The latest bid made on Wednesday 27 August is in excess of £140,000. Ebbsfleet United could also recieve further payments depending on performance plus a significant percentage of any sell-on should the player be transferred to another club.

Fuller details of the deal - and the reasons why Liam Daish, the CEO and the Chairman believe that this offer is in the best interests of the football club as well as the player - will be disclosed if the transfer proceeds. (This is to protect Ebbsfleet United’s future negotiating position should the deal falter.)

Over the next 48 hours, Liam Daish, the CEO and Chairman are seeking the opinion of the club’s owners

Here is also an article posted on bbc.com about this purposed deal

A football transfer is to be decided by an internet vote of thousands of supporters for the very first time.

Members of myfootballclub.co.uk (MFC), who own Ebbsfleet United, will decide if they should accept a £140,000 offer from an unnamed club for John Akinde.

"It's quite historic," MFC founder Will Brooks told BBC Sport.

"The summer has been full of talk about Gareth Barry and Cristiano Ronaldo, but this transfer allows fans to have a say in whether it is right for the club."

The 30,000 plus members have 48 hours to decide whether they should sell the highly rated 19-year-old striker, who has played fewer than 20 games for Ebbsfleet.

He has already been watched by Chelsea scouts and the club have turned down an offer for Akinde from League One side Peterborough.

Players who have recently turned professional like Akinde are unlikely to be earning more than £200 a week.

"The fans are legal owners of the club," added Brooks. "Whereas transfers at other clubs are decided by a few board members this decision will be taken by 30,000 board members."

Earlier this year over 20,000 MyFootballClub members, who had each paid £35 to provide a £700,000 takeover pot, took control of Ebbsfleet, to give each fan an equal share in the club.

Since then members have voted on a number of major decisions affecting the club, including the price of season-tickets to watch Ebbsfleet, but this is the first time a transfer will be decided by the team's fans.

MFC's membership now stands at over 30,000 people, with members living in 122 countries.

"It has become very apparent that members are taking the responsibility of ownership very seriously and considering decisions made so far."