Uefa is troubled by the trend of US investors targeting multiple clubs, but they have reaped limited rewards so far
It is a trend that just a few months ago was described by Uefa’s European Club Footballing Landscape report as “being fuelled predominantly by United States-based investors” and having “the potential to pose a material threat to the integrity of European club competitions”. Yet Aleksander Ceferin’s admission that European football’s governing body is considering a rule change after Manchester United’s takeover talks raised issues around potential conflict of interests seemed to indicate that it is a threat Ceferin feels the game must embrace.
Uefa’s report published in February estimated that 6,500 players from 195 clubs – a 75% increase in less than three years – were employed by 27 multi-club investment groups, a third of which are based in the US. It is too early to say whether this is a passing fad, but John Textor – whose Eagle Football Holdings has shares in Lyon, Crystal Palace, the Brazilian side Botafogo and the Belgian club RWD Molenbeek – believes the model is here to stay.
About Author
More Stories
Triple M host Marty Sheargold departs after being condemned for comparing Matildas to ‘year 10 girls’
Erik ten Hag feels today’s players ‘find it difficult to deal with criticism’
Lakers fans mock Mavs GM as Dončić gets ‘weird’ triple-double against former team