News Analysis: The real Big Picture
By David Owen
When it comes to the football business, one cannot help but admire John Henry’s timing.
Finance
Premier League clubs’ big transfer spend was not irresponsible, says academic
October 13 – The collective £830 million transfer fee spending by Premier League clubs during this year’s (extended) summer window was not an extravagant amount in a time of revenue uncertainty and no match day income, according to a football finance academic at the Global Institute of Sport (GIS).
Big money Manchester clubs pay €1.84bn for players in 2019, EPL buying power dominates
October 13 – An analysis on the transfer fees paid by big-5 league clubs in 2019 shows a dominance of Premier League clubs amongst the big spenders, with Manchester City topping the spending table, and Manchester United third ranked, just behind PSG.
Anger over Man Utd and Liverpool power grab that would change face of English football
By Andrew Warshaw
October 12 – Could it be the saviour of English football or death knell for the game as we know it? Is it handing power to a cartel of money-grabbing clubs or an invaluable rescue package for the lower professional leagues?
Transfer business is still the big money playground but Covid has slowed player inflation
October 8 – The biggest impact the Covid pandemic has had on football’s transfer market is to slow down the inflation of players’ prices that in the 2019 window, where like-for-like player transfer price inflation was running at 15%.
Serie A postpones new money meeting as venture capitalists refine offers
October 7 – Serie A has once again postponed a meeting to assess bids by private equity funds for a stake in the league’s broadcasting rights as the bidding war between the interested parties intensifies.
OL posts €45.9m profit but puts the cost of covid at €100m
By Paul Nicholson
October 7 – OL Groupe, owner of French Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyonnais, has announced 2019/20 year end revenue of €271.6 million and an impressive pre-tax profit of €45.9 million considering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Debt surges to €488m at Messi’s Barça as Covid hits all revenue streams
By David Owen
October 6 – Spanish giants Barcelona have reported an after-tax loss of €97 million and a more than doubled net debt-load, as Covid-19 took a heavy toll on last season’s financial results.
Hola Wigan. Un-named Spanish buyer puts deposit down for club
October 1 – A Spanish investor has agreed to buy beleaguered English club Wigan Athletic after paying “a substantial deposit”, the League One club’s administrators have announced.
England’s non-league top tiers secure government support for length of fan lock out
September 30 – Clubs in the fifth and sixth tiers of English football, fearful of going out of business, are to receive an emergency grant from the government to enable them to start their new season this weekend.
Serie A boss De Servio pegs club losses at €500m and counting
September 29 – After the government rejected Italian football’s proposal for more fans to be allowed at stadiums, Serie A boss Luigi De Siervo (pictured) has said that the top flight has lost more than €500 million because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Major football sponsor Qatar Airways lands $2bn advance after ‘difficult’ year
By David Owen
September 29 – Prominent FIFA sponsor Qatar Airways has received a helping hand from the Qatar government after what it described as “one of the most difficult years in the airline’s history”.
US investor Krause Group takes over at Serie A’s Parma
September 29 – Serie A’s Parma, is under new ownership with US-based Krause Group have taken a 90% stake in the club.
Chinese owner of Granada, Jiang, goes missing in action leaving a pile of debt
September 25 – A Chinese businessman who owns controlling stakes in LaLiga’s Granada and Portuguese club Tondela is facing bankruptcy proceedings in Hong Kong over a mountain of unpaid bills and debt.
US investor ALK opens Burnley talks, Saints deal still to close with DaGrosa
September 25 – Burnley could become the latest American-owned Premier League club with ALK Capital reportedly in talks to buy the club.