By Paul Nicholson
May 6 – Spain’s Malaga are in talks to sell up to 95% of the club to a consortium of Chinese investors, according to media reports from China. Chinese money has also been linked with takeovers of Aston Villa in the English Premier League and AC Milan in Italy’s Serie A.
The consortium in negotiation with Malaga has been nicknamed ‘Intellectually manufactured in China’ and, if successful, will build a news sports complex in Malaga’s to incorporate a youth training academy.
The links with China would be strong with the base providing training and internships for Chinese coaches. Top Chinese players would also be integrated into Malaga’s senior and youth teams.
While the Chinese would take 95% of the club’s shares, 5% would remain with smaller shareholders including former Real Madrid defender Fernando Hierro. A Chinese sports management company would take over the running of the club within three years, according to reports.
While both sides are trying to keep the negotiations secret, Malaga manager Vicente Casado has confirmed that talks are under way with the takeover most likely to be completed in the summer.
Malaga are currently eighth in the Primera and 7 points behind sixth place Villareal who hold the Europa League qualification place with three games left in the season.
In Italy, Silvio Berlusconi is reportedly weighing up offers for AC Milan from two consortia – one Chinese, one Thai. Italian clubs are well known in China where the Italians have staged their Supercoppa (the pre-season match-up between the winners of the league and the cup) in 2009, 2011 and 2012 – Milan played in the match in 2011.
While in England the Chinese are rumoured to be ready to swoop on re-energised Aston Villa immediately after the FA Cup final on May 30. American owner Randy Lerner has been positioning the club for sale over the past couple of seasons.
Even in France the Chinese are believed to be poised to make an acquisition with AFP reporting that Tech Pro Technology Development company, a Hong Kong-listed electrical components manufacturer, is about to pay €7 million for FC Sochaux – a small price in comparison to the rumoured English and Italian acquisitions which would be considerably into the hundred of millions of euros.
One deal that has been confirmed is the Wanda Group acquisition of a 20% stake in Spanish La Liga champions Atletico Madrid. In February, Wanda acquired Swiss sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media in a deal valued at about €1.05 billion.
In January, China’s United Vansen International Sports Corporation bought Dutch club Alles Door Oefening Den Haag for an undisclosed amount.
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