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.
Finance
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.
Anderlecht shows further €29m loss as club battles costs but builds under Kompany
December 30 – Belgian club Anderlecht have announced a loss of €29 million, but the club claims that with last week’s capital injection bankruptcy has been averted.
Barcelona’s socios mandate board to secure €1.5bn for Espai Barça project
December 21 – Barcelona can’t afford players to keep their playing squad competitive in European competition, but that hasn’t stopped the association’s members mandating the board to raise up to €1.5 billion to pay for the Espai Barça project.
Ronaldo takes control at Brazil’s Cruzeiro with $70m investment
December 20 – Brazilian legend and Real Sociedad owner Ronaldo has obtained a controlling stake in his old club Cruzeiro, which has been struggling in the second division of the Brazilian game.
Is new Derby County wannabe Moxey running amok of the EFL’s governance structures?
December 17 – The on-going saga of the sale of Derby County is throwing up a number of potential takeover names but one bidding group in particular is starting to catch the eye, at least from a good governance perspective.
NWSL players get salary top-up in crypto with Voyager deal
December 15 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) players in the US will be getting a wage boost in the form of cryptocurrency following the announcement of a multi-year sponsorship with Voyager Digital.
Aussie pro-leagues take on $100m Silver Lake investment
By Paul Nicholson
December 14 – The newly formed Australian Professional Leagues (APL), operators of the men’s A-League and women’s W-League, has sold a 33% stake to US investor Silver Lake for an estimated $100 million.
Bellingham breaks into big time with €120m valuation; Foden, Haaland and Vinicus hit €150m
December 10 – There is still big money in youth development despite an overall stagnation in the transfer market. A new transfer value analysis of the Big 5 leagues says there are 15 players under the age of 23 who could command a transfer fee of €100 million or more.
RFEF questions legality of CVC’s €2bn stake in LaLiga as clubs prepare to vote
By Paul Nicholson
December 9 – Two days before LaLiga’s clubs are scheduled to vote on the Impulso Project which will see CVC inject almost €2 billion into the league, the Spanish FA (RFEF) and its president Luis Rubiales have issued a statement against the fund raising and questioning its legality under Spanish law.
Real Madrid borrows another €225m to complete Santiago Bernabéu renovation
December 9 – Real Madrid has agreed a €225 million loan extension to complete the Santiago Bernabéu remodelling. The club said the loan was required work “not forseen” in the initial plans.
Haaland is world’s most valuable player as Mbappe’s star fades and Foden doubles value
By Paul Nicholson
December 7 – Player values that have dropped on aggregate by 20% over the period of the coronavirus crisis have remained stagnant with few players having regained their pre-pandemic market values, according to an analysis of player market values by KPMG Football Benchmark.
San Francisco 49ers close in on £500m acquisition of Leeds Utd
December 7 – The San Francisco 49ers American Football team reportedly have “a deal in place” to buy English Premier League club Leeds United.