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.
Finance
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.
Brand Britain: Premier League generated £7.6bn for UK economy in covid-hit 2019-20
January 18 – An economic and social impact report highlights the contribution of the Premier League to brand Britain, as well as the important social role it plays within the UK and in England in particular.
Sale of Watkins and Benrahma offsets operating losses at Premier League new boys Brentford
By David Owen
January 18 – Brentford, the West London club whose finances have been transformed by promotion to the top tier for the first time since 1946-47, have produced figures for the year to end-June 2021, their promotion season.
KPMG report shows €500bn revenue loss for 8 of Europe’s league champions
January 14 – KPMG Football Benchmark’s European Champions Report 2022 gives another snapshot of the disruptive impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on club finances over the past year.
Boost to broadcasting revenue puts Manchester City back in profit – just
By David Owen
January 13 – Manchester City have produced a glossy annual report containing limited financial information for the 2020-21 season. The headline detail is that the Abu Dhabi-owned club have returned to profit after the heavy losses of 2019-20, which left them 19th out of 20 in a rather sorry-looking Premier League profits table.
Textor fast follows Botafogo deal with stake in Belgium’s Molenbeek
By Samindra Kunti
January 13 – John Textor has not waited long to deliver on his promise to build a global network of clubs. Days after taking over storied Brazilian club Botafogo, he has become a co-investor in Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.
From Crystal Palace to Botafogo. Textor builds club stakes with 90% of Brazilian club
January 11 – Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor will become the owner of Botafogo, the president of the Brazilian club Durcesio Mello announced on Monday.
Ashley goes after Staveley over Newcastle sale as club humiliated in FA Cup
January 10 – Just weeks after hopes were raised of a new dawn when the club was purchased by a cash-rich Saudi-led consortium, albeit highly controversially, English sleeping giant Newcastle United are back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons – on and off the pitch.
Vinicius is world’s most valuable player. Foden, Haaland and Greenwood make up top four
January 7 – Move over Neymar and Mbappe. Real Madrid and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior is the most valuable player in the world according to the latest player transfer valuations by the CIES Football Observatory.
Blitzer and Smith take ownership of MLS’s Real Salt Lake
January 7 – After a drawn-out sales process, Crystal Palace co-owner David Blitzer and Ryan Smith’s Smith Entertainment Group have become the new owners of Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise Real Salt Lake.
KMSK Deinze sale to Singapore fund continues foreign owner buy outs of Belgian clubs
January 6 – Singapore-based investment fund ACA Football Partners has taken ownership control of KMSK Deinze, the Belgian second-division club has announced.
Saints valued at £250m+ as Sports Republic takes first big step to building global empire
By Paul Nicholson
January 5 – Premier League Southampton have a new majority owner with Sport Republic acquiring the 80% shareholding held by Chinese investor Jisheng Gao.
European champions Chelsea slump to £156m loss despite surging broadcast revenue
By David Owen
December 31 – European champions Chelsea have reported a massive loss for the covid-impacted 2020-21 season. The West London side posted pre-tax losses of £155.9 million, compared with a £35.7 million profit the previous year, when figures were buoyed by the sale of Eden Hazard to Real Madrid.
Saudis poised to take $1bn control of Inter Milan from Suning, reports
December 30 – Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan are reportedly close to signing off a sale to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) as the country expands its football portfolio and its push into the football economy.