Chelsea bid deadline closes with multiple last minute offers and an all-fan proposal
March 21 – A British-led consortium fronted by Chelsea supporters has confirmed that it has made a bid to buy the club.
Finance
CVC enters final stage talks for €1.5bn stake in LFP’s new commercial arm
March 21 – The French Professional Football League (LFP) has entered exclusive negotiations with private equity firm CVC Capital for a €1.5 billion investment in a new commercial subsidiary that will handle the LFP’s commercial rights.
Candy, Coe, Chicago Cubs… Big names put money where their mouths are for Chelsea bid
March 17 – Chicago Cubs owners and a Lord Coe consortium have confirmed their intention to bid for Chelsea, with potential buyers having until Friday to enter the race to own the club.
FFH raises cash to develop deeper into fantasy football market
March 17 – The Fantasy Sports gaming market is spawning a whole new sector of related digital business with UK-based fantasy Football Hub announcing it has raised $550,000 to build its platform that digital content and analytics to the fantasy football community.
Chelsea bidders have until Friday to make offers
March 15 – Potential buyers of European champions Chelsea are reported to be queuing up to submit their takeover proposals ahead of Friday’s deadline.
English clubs top transfer spend ranking at €6.9bn… with a trade deficit of €4.3bn
March 14 – English clubs have racked up a combined negative international transfer trade balance of -€4.35 billion since 2017.
Wolves and Porto put finances in order to exit UEFA’s FFP control regime
March 14 – England’s Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal’s FC Porto have broken free of the shackles of UEFA’s financial fair play scrutiny and have exited the settlement regimes they were under.
Belgium’s Standard Liege added to 777 Partners club portfolio
March 13 – Private equity firm 777 Partners have acquired storied Belgian club Standard Liege, further expanding its portfolio following the takeover of Rio giants Vasco da Gama earlier this month.
Lyon say that any Pathe and IDG share sale won’t halt development strategy
March 11 – Olympique Lyonnais have responded to news that Pathé and IDG are looking to sell their near 20% stakes in the club, saying that the club is “actively working to strengthen its financial structure” and that it will continue its development work both on and off the field with the build of the new arena.
Chelsea sale on hold as Abramovich assets are frozen over his links to Putin
By Andrew Warshaw
March 10 – In what can only be described as a move of seismic proportions, the entire future of European champions Chelsea has been plunged into doubt after the club’s Russian oligarch owner Roman Abramovich was officially sanctioned by the UK government today following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Barça closing €300m deal with LaLiga’s private equity partners CVC, reports
March 10 – Barcelona, who are challenging the legitimacy of LaLiga’s €1 billion venture capital deal with CVC in court, are nevertheless reportedly close to signing their own €300 million agreement with the investor.
CFG bid €180m for control of Brazilian champions Atletico Mineiro
By Samindra Kunti
March 8 – City Football Group (CFG), owners of Manchester City and a slate of clubs around the world, is bidding to take over Brazilian champions Atletico Mineiro.
Madrid court rules against Real Madrid and Barca’s bid to pause LaLiga Impulso funding
March 8 – The challenge by Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Athletic Club to LaLiga Impulso, the joint venture that will see CVC Capital Partners inject about €1 billion into the league, has suffered a new blow in court.
Benfica have the world’s most profitable academy. Chelsea top Premier League
March 7 – Portugal’s Benfica have the most profitable academy in the world having generated €379 million from the sale of players since July 2015. Real Madrid have the second most profitable youth training system. Chelsea are ranked 8th.
Grealish deal sets seal on Villa’s financial turnaround as club consolidates in top tier
By David Owen
March 4 – Aston Villa, the West Midlands side that recently brought Philippe Coutinho back to the Premier League, has unveiled a sharply-reduced loss for the 2020-21 season when it consolidated its status as a top-tier club.