August 15 – Paris Saint-Germain have been eyeing Belgian top flight club Mouscron as a potential satellite club with the Parisian club keen on offering its homegrown players more playing opportunity.
The club from the French capital was often been linked to the purchase of a satellite club under Patrick Kluivert when he was director of football. Under current director Antero Henrique the search has intensified, with the Belgian market emerging as the prime hunting ground.
Youth players from the PSG academy have struggled to make the first team and playing at Mouscron would allow them to develop at an intermediate level.
Onve the transfer window closes Henrique and the club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi have planned a visit and inspection of Mouscron’s facilities, according to French media reports.
Super agent Pini Zahavi has been the matchmaker in this potential deal. He was a key figure and broker in Neymar’s world record transfer move from FC Barcelona to Paris. At the official presentation of the Brazilian player Zahavi was seated in the front row of the auditorium at the Parc des Princes.
The Israeli agent and businessman will get a hefty commission for his involvement in that transfer, sharing a €38 million fee with Neymar’s father. Zahavi has since said that his collaboration with the club is not over, fueling further speculation of Mouscron’s imminent takeover by PSG.
In 2010 Mouscron filed for bankruptcy. Lille OSC became a majority shareholder in the club, but they soon parted ways. The Goal Football Malta company, chaired by Zahavi and Abdilgafar Ramadani, purchased the struggling Walloon club for €8.5 million in 2015. Those shares were subsequently sold to Maltese company Latimer in 2016. PSG will have to deal with Latimer if they want to make a formal takeover bid. Adar and Gil Zahavi, the nephew and son of Pini Zahavi, sit on the board of the Belgian club.
Last weekend Mouscron defeated Lokeren away from home 2-0 to climb to fifth spot in the Belgian Pro League.
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