Fire sale? Abramovich shops Chelsea to billionaire boys club
March 2 – Speculation is mounting than Chelsea’s billionaire oligarch owner Roman Abramovich may be about to sell the club in the wake of his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Finance
Sticky Toffee pudding – Usmanov sanctions threaten Everton finances
March 1 – The European Union (EU) has sanctioned Everton-linked and Fencing Federation (FIE) President Alisher Usmanov. He was on a list of Russian oligarchs that the block targeted as it imposed further sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Premier League players values are twice that of LaLiga; Haaland and Foden top ranking
February 24 – Player values have remained stagnant since the 19.6% drop in values triggered by the covid pandemic, according to updated data from the KPMG Football Benchmark team.
Brazil’s Vasco da Gama sells $333m stake to US investor 777 Partners
February 22 – Miami-based investment firm 777 Partners have reached a deal to acquire a majority stake in Vasco da Gama, the Rio club have announced.
Boston Celtics owner Pagliuca buys control of Serie A’s Atalanta for estimated $450m
February 21 – After initially denying reports they were selling, Atalanta have become the latest Italian top-flight club to do a deal with American investors – this time led by Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca.
Thai-controlled Leicester cut their losses – but debt jumps to £217m
By David Owen
February 18 – Leicester City, the Thai-controlled English FA Cup holders, have posted a pre-tax loss of £33.1 million for the year to end-May 2021 – about half the prior year’s level.
OL reports first half revenue boost as covid retreats and fans return
February 17 – France’s OL Groupe, owners of Ligue 1 Olympique Lyon, is reporting a first half return to profitability for the 2021-22 season with revenues up 7% from the same period in 2020-21 to €75 million.
Belgian clubs report combined €139m loss
February 10 – Belgium’s 26 professional clubs registered total record losses of €139 million last year (2020-21 season), the bulk of it a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Man Utd’s €1bn player trading shortfall tops Europe’s super-spending league, Man City 2nd
February 10 – Manchester United have a negative balance of more than €1 billion on player transfer trading over the past decade. Add in Man City’s €984 million deficit and the 10-year account for Manchester shows a whopping €2 billion deficit.
Paris FC set to add Armenian investor as club pushes for Ligue1 promotion
February 8 – Ligue 2 club Paris FC is poised to announce a new investor from Armenia in a reshuffle of their ownership structure.
LaLiga and CVC get going with ‘Impulso’ despite Real Madrid and Barca’s legal challenge
February 2 – LaLiga Group International formally came into operation yesterday with a further a financial injection of €298 million into the entity by CVC, of which £220 million will be distributed to clubs.
Transfer market bounces back led by £295m Premier League club spend
By Paul Nicholson
February 1 – After two windows of relative low spend, the transfer market has roared back in the Premier League with total spending of £295 million, driven in large part by the £85 million spent by Newcastle United in their bid to avoid relegation.
Man City top Euro club revenues, but pandemic has hit top 20 top teams for a combined €3bn loss
January 31 – The financial effects of the covid pandemic on Europe’s leading clubs is becoming more measurable with an analysis of 20 clubs showing an annual average decrease of €45 million.
LaLiga takes first €400m of CVC investment
January 21 – After a prolonged battle with three of its clubs, LaLiga has seen the first injection of cash into its Impulso project from private equity firm CVC.
Turkey’s Acun Ilicali buys Hull City for £24m from Egyptian Allam family
January 20 – Turkish businessman Turkey’s Acun Ilicali (pictured) and his Acun Medya Group have become the new owners of Hull City, completing a €24 million takeover of the Championship club to end the 11-year reign of the Egyptian Allam family.