Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor is looking to increase his shareholding in the English club to more than 80 per cent, according to The Guardian.

The US businessman currently holds a 45 per cent stake in Palace through his company Eagle Football Holdings, after initially investing in the Premier League club in 2021.

The 59-year-old, who last year bid for Everton prior to the club’s sale to the Friedkin Group (TFG) in December, has reportedly held discussions with fellow Palace investors David Blitzer and Josh Harris over purchasing their shares, which account for around 36 per cent of the South London club.

Should this materialise, Textor would subsequently hold a stake of more than 80 percent, enabling him to complete a full takeover.

Palace’s potential takeover

Despite previously expressing his interest in selling his stake in Palace last May, Textor is now reportedly looking to complete a takeover of the club, with US investors Harris and Blitzer reportedly seeking to offload their shares.

New York Jets co-owner Woody Johnson is reportedly also interested in purchasing the club. A potential takeover could cast doubt over the future of UK businessman Steve Parish, who currently holds a ten per cent stake in Palace, and has been at Selhurst Park since 2010, when he led a consortium that saved the club from administration.

Chelsea owners could place Strasbourg into ‘blind trust’

BlueCo, the ownership group of Premier League club Chelsea and Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, are preparing to comply with UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, should both teams qualify for next year’s Champions League.

The consortium, which includes Los Angeles Dodgers owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital, completed a £4.25 billion takeover of Chelsea in 2022. The following year, BlueCo completed a full acquisition of Strasbourg for €75 million (£63.5 million).

As reported by BBC Sport, BlueCo are expected to place the French club in a ‘blind trust’, in the event in which both teams qualify for the Champions League, to ensure that one individual party is not simultaneously influencing two clubs in the same competition.

BlueCo has reportedly been in talks with UEFA since January over how the group can comply with the regulations of European football’s governing body.

Chelsea and Strasbourg’s Champions League hopes

Chelsea are currently placed fifth in the Premier League. Following Arsenal’s run to the Champions League semi-final, the English top flight has been awarded an extra spot in next year’s competition.

Strasbourg meanwhile are currently sixth in Ligue 1, but could potentially finish fourth if they win their remaining fixture and secure a Champions League qualifying spot.

Borussia Dortmund announce €12.9 million profit for first three quarters of 2024/25

Borussia Dortmund have reported a cumulative net profit of €12.9 million after taxes for the accounting period running from 1st July 2024 until 31st March 2025.

This is down from the German club’s figure of €48.9 million for the same period of the 2023/24 season, with Dortmund attributing this primarily to a drop in net transfer revenue from €88.4 million to €34.8 million.

Despite this, Dortmund’s overall revenue saw a 10.9 per cent, €38.6 million increase, rising from €354.7 million to reach €393.3 million.

Broadcast income accounted for the lion’s share of this, increasing from €147.3 million to €162.7 million. Meanwhile, advertising revenue accounted for €113.6 million, while income from match operations rose from €38.3 million to €45.7 million.

Club’s Q3 revenue sees significant increase on 2023/24

For the third quarter of 2024/25, Dortmund returned to profit after taxation. The club reported a profit of €5.2 million, marking a significant increase of €26.9 million on last year’s loss of €21.7 million.

Dortmund’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) also surged by €31.4 million to €29.6 million, while Q3 revenue saw a 51.5 per cent increase from €98.2 million to €148.8 million.

FIFA Women’s World Cup to expand to 48 teams

The FIFA Women’s World Cup will expand from 32 to 48 teams from 2031, football’s global governing body has announced.

This comes after the FIFA Council unanimously voted in favour of the decision, following consultation with confederations and stakeholders.

Under the new, expanded format, the tournament will comprise 12 groups, and will increase its total number of matches from 64 to 104, which will result in the competition running for an additional week.

FIFA says its hosting requirements for the 2031 editions of the Women’s World Cup - set to be hosted in the US and UK respectively - will be adjusted accordingly.

FIFA aiming to “maintain the momentum”

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the first in which teams from all confederations won at least one game and teams from five confederations reached the knockout stage, among many other records, set a new standard for global competitiveness,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“This decision ensures we are maintaining the momentum in terms of growing women’s football globally.”

Women's Super League to stick with relegation after 2026

The Women's Super League is set to keep relegation in place after 2026, amid recent reports of a potential four-year pause, as reported by The Guardian.

The governing body of the top two tiers of English women’s football, the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), was reportedly considering scrapping promotion and relegation from the women’s top flight between 2026 and 2030, as part of a plan to expand the WSL and Women’s Championship to 16 teams each.

Although the WSL is set to keep relegation, the Guardian reports that no decision has yet been made regarding the format of the WSL beyond 2026, with the WPLL reportedly considering ‘several innovative alternations’ of how the English women’s football pyramid might look going forward.

In March, WPLL CEO Nikki Doucet said: "We believe promotion and relegation is a great thing. It makes English football distinctive from other leagues."

Fans consider promotion and relegation ‘vital’

Last week, a survey published by the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) revealed 90.2 per cent of English women’s football fans viewed promotion and relegation as ‘a vital part of the integrity of the football pyramid’.

The study additionally found that although 84 per cent of those surveyed favoured the idea of expanding the WSL and Women’s Championship to 16 teams, 53.8 per cent opposed pausing relegation in order to facilitate this.

Olympique Lyon could be banned from European competitions if the French club fail to reach an agreement with UEFA on sanctions, according to L’Équipe.

The Ligue 1 side are currently in talks with UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) over a potential agreement, which will likely include a fine worth more than €10 million, in addition to sanctions on aspects such as a wage bill cap and transfer supervision.

Earlier this week, UEFA revealed that its CFCB had sanctioned Lyon during the 2024/25 season, handing the club a fine of €200,000, the most of any European club over the last year.

The club’s majority owner John Textor reportedly held talks in Nyon with UEFA over a potential deal.

Lyon’s financial woes

Last November, Lyon were provisionally relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the 2024/25 season, amid the club’s financial struggles, after the club’s debt reportedly rose from €458 million to €509 million.

The club still faces a potential relegation to the French second tier, if they are unable to meet the requirements of the French National Management Control Department (DNCG).
 

David Beckham and Gary Neville lead new Salford City takeover

Manchester United legends David Beckham and Gary Neville have completed a takeover of Salford City as part of a new consortium.

Beckham and Neville were a part of the Class of 92 investment group that took over the Greater Manchester club in 2014. The new consortium, which comprises nine members, has now bought out their former United teammates Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, and Phil Neville.

Salford’s new ownership, which will oversee operations at Moor Lane with immediate effect, includes US businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies, who will both join the League Two club’s board.

Last February, Salford unveiled plans to seek external investment in order to help their ambition of reaching the Championship. Singaporean businessman Peter Lim had been Salford’s majority shareholder since the 2014 takeover until last August, when Neville acquired his interest in the club.

New group “held together by a love of football"

Reflecting on the new takeover, Neville said: “I am passionate about Salford City. This is a unique partnership with a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football.

“Football will come first, however it’s critical that we drive the club towards sustainability in the next 4-5 years. I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.”
 

Girondins de Bordeaux ‘have debt of €93.9 million’

Girondins de Bordeaux are €93.9 million in debt before renegotiation, L’Équipe has revealed.

The six-time Ligue 1 champions, who were relegated to France’s fourth tier last year after filing for bankruptcy, are set for a review by France’s Commercial Court on 27th May.

During this hearing, the court will make a ruling on Bordeaux’s proposed recovery plan, which could result in liquidation for the club if it is not approved.

Bordeaux’s mounting debt

The club’s majority owner Gérard Lopez is prepared to write off €40.5 million of their debt, leaving €53 million in liabilities.

L'Équipe reveals that Bordeaux owe €5.03 million to the French public finances department, and up to €3.34 million in social security contributions. US investment company Fortress is the club’s largest single creditor, with a claim of €6 million.

Chelsea’s move to a new stadium might not happen until 2042, the club’s co-owner Todd Boehly said in an interview with Bloomberg.

Boehly, who led a £2.3 billion takeover of the Premier League club as part of a consortium with Clearlake Capital in 2022, said it could take between 15 and 20 years to move to a new venue.

“When we originally bought the club we agreed initially that we had 15 or 20 years to figure this out but it is a big project in a really interesting city like London where there's a lot of constituencies that have an opinion,” said Boehly.

“Obviously the number one constituency for us is our fan base and what's going to be the best for Chelsea.
“I think everyone recognises that a club as big as Chelsea should have a stadium that reflects the size of the club and ultimately that's going to be a strategic advantage.”

Chelsea’s new stadium plans

Chelsea have played at Stamford Bridge since 1905, however the stadium’s capacity of 41,000 ranks as the ninth largest in the Premier League. The West London club are understood to be weighing up a redevelopment of their current venue, or building a new stadium in Earl’s Court as an alternative option.

Last month, mayor of London Sadiq Khan encouraged the club to open discussions over potential new stadium plans. “We’re really keen to make sure that Chelsea, as we are with all our clubs, continue to flourish and thrive, so we’re open to talking to Chelsea about what plans they have,” he said.
 

Toulouse has become “priority” for Dubai-based fund

Dubai-based fund World Gate Investment (WGI) has said “Toulouse has become our priority," in a statement shared with French media.

As reported by L’Équipe, WGI is currently in talks with the French club regarding a potential takeover, after a delegation reportedly visited Paris recently to discuss its long-term plan for the club.

Toulouse, who recently secured promotion back to Ligue 1, have been majority owned by RedBird Capital Partners since 2020, after the US private equity firm acquired an 85 per cent stake in the club.

The investment group are seeking to become the club's majority shareholder, as well as their final decision maker.

WGI on Toulouse investment talks

“We are ready to invest massively and we have envisioned a long-term project,” said a spokesperson from WGI.

“Making money is not our primary motivation, even if it is important. We mainly want to try to find our place in this market.”
“Toulouse has become our priority,” they added.
 

English football’s independent regulator must be “watertight” says new chairman

David Kogan, the newly appointed chairman of English football’s new independent regulator, has said it will need to be “absolutely watertight” in order to overcome legal challenges from clubs.

Last month, the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, confirmed the appointment of the media rights executive as the first ever chairman of the independent regulator, which will oversee the top five tiers of men’s English football.

The 67-year-old told UK member’s of parliament (MPs) at a hearing on Wednesday: “There will be a multitude of potential litigious clubs and lawyers looking at what we do, so we have to be absolutely watertight in what we do, but clearly we may have to bear costs of legal action we cannot forecast.”

Manchester City have launched two legal challenges against the Premier League over the last year, winning their case regarding the English top flight’s associated party transaction (APT) rules in February. Manchester City’s legal bill for the case exceeded £20 million, and the club are reportedly seeking reimbursement from the Premier League, according to English media.

Regulator must be prepared for any potential challenges, adds Kogan

Reflecting on the prospect of legal challenges from clubs, Kogan said: “The regulator has to be geared up for legal challenge, and the way it does that is by doing its work properly and going through the full accountability process, by being as watertight as it can about what it’s seeking to do.

“And then, if you get legal challenge, you have to have the financing to be able to meet that legal challenge.”
 

Rangers’ US takeover “a 90 per cent” probability

Former Rangers chairman Andrew Dave King is confident that the club’s takeover by a consortium led by 49ers Enterprises will come to fruition.

In an interview with TalkSport, the 69-year-old said: “I would say that there's probably a 90 per cent probability [the takeover] will happen.” Despite stepping down as chairman in 2020, King is still the largest single shareholder of the Scottish club with just under 13 per cent of the shares.

Confirming that talks over the takeover had been taking place over the last six months, he added: “In terms of legals being signed, in terms of the type of conditions present that still have to be fulfilled, I would certainly put it at above 90 per cent right now.
“I can't see anything that would stop the deal happening now.”

Rangers’ new ownership

49ers Enterprises, the investment arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers, is also the owner of Leeds United, after completing a full £170 million takeover of the English club in 2023.

According to King, the takeover of the 55-time Scottish champions is set to be completed in mid-June. In April, the Glasgow club confirmed that they had held ‘productive conversations’ with the US consortium.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom has submitted a bid to acquire a 29 per cent stake in Scottish club Hearts for £9.86 million.

The club, which are currently fully owned by support group the Foundation of Hearts (FoH), are now considering the offer. In order for the bid to be successful, it will need to receive approval from more than 50 per cent of FoH members.

Bloom who has been the majority owner at Premier League club Brighton since 2009, would reportedly join Hearts’ board, if his minority stake acquisition is approved. If he is given the green light, he would then require further approval from the Scottish FA.

Potential investment represents “unprecedented opportunity” for Hearts

In a statement, the FoH confirmed its board’s recommendation to vote in favour of the new investment, describing it as an “unprecedented opportunity” for the Scottish club.

“The Foundation of Hearts Board believe that this investment in the club presents an opportunity to realise the club’s full potential and take it into a new era,” said the FoH board. “We hope that, by the time you have read the following information, digested and considered it, you are in agreement.”

Club Leon remain excluded from FIFA Club World Cup – play-off to decide replacement

Club Leon will not compete in this year’ Club World Cup, after the Mexican side lost their legal appeal against FIFA on Tuesday.

In March, FIFA announced that Club Leon would be ejected from the competition due to a breach of its multi-club ownership rules, as the club share the same ownership as CF Pachuca, who had also qualified for the tournament. And in Last Month, the two Mexican clubs both launched appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the matter.

In a statement released on Tuesday, CAS said: ‘The Panel examined the evidence, including the Club León trust set up by the owners of the club, and concluded that this trust was insufficient to comply with the Regulations.
 

‘Consequently, Club León remains excluded from the competition and Pachuca remains qualified.’

Replacement to be decided through a play-off match

With Club Leon’s absence from the Club World Cup now confirmed, FIFA has announced that the team replacing Club León at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be decided via a play-off. The match will be contested between Los Angeles FC – runners-up to León in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup – and Club América, who topped the FIFA Club World Cup confederation ranking following the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, the final season used to determine eligibility for the tournament.

The winner will secure a place in Group D, stepping in for Club León at the expanded 2025 edition.

UEFA president blasts Italian football’s “terrible” infrastructure

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has criticised Italian football’s “terrible” infrastructure in an interview with Italian publication SportMediaset.

During the interview, Ceferin fielded questions on UEFA’s decision last year to strip Milan’s San Siro of hosting rights to the 2027 Champions League final, as well as ongoing plans for a new stadium in Milan.

“To be honest, I'm a bit tired of these Italian discussions about infrastructure, because all we see is discussions,” said the 57-year old.

“The clubs need help from the government, they need help from municipalities. Private investors will invest. It's time to do something, because the infrastructure is terrible.”

Italy has the “worst infrastructure” among big footballing countries

Ceferin added that Italy, which is set to co-host the 2032 UEFA men’s Euro championships alongside Turkey, has the “worst infrastructure” among the so-described “big countries”.

“Italy's football infrastructure is a shame,” he said. “You are one of the biggest footballing countries, you've won many World Cups, Euros, Champions Leagues. At the same time among the big countries you have by far the worst infrastructure.”

Milan clubs will pay for remediation and demolition of the San Siro, says mayor of Milan

Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, has stated that AC Milan and Inter Milan will pay for the remediation and demolition of the San Siro.

In March, the two Milan clubs submitted a proposal to buy the stadium, as well as its surrounding area, as part of a €1.2 billion plan to demolish and reconstruct the venue, receiving approval from the Municipality of Milan.

“We have some issues to sort out, the main one is related to the clean-up. It is already clear with the teams that if they proceed with a renovation of San Siro they will pay for it,” said Sala and continued: “Has the cost of demolition been quantified? I don't know, it's their problem and I have no idea. We were clear on this with the teams, it will be their responsibility.”

Sala responds to "Si Meazza” committee’s complaint

Last week, the “Si Meazza” committee filed a legal complaint over the sale of the San Siro to the Milan clubs.

In response to this, Sala said: “The "Sì Meazza” committee is trying every way to block this initiative but I will continue on my path, let them do what they think they should do. From our point of view we have opinions that range from the legal to the superintendency and therefore we are sure of what we are doing.”

LaLiga seeks €4 million for one weekly FTA LaLiga match

LaLiga has set a €4 million minimum price for rights to one weekly free-to-air (FTA) fixture from Spain’s top flight for the next two seasons, as reported by 2Playbook.

Potential bidders will have until 23rd May to submit their proposals to LaLiga, after the organisation was unable to secure a broadcast rights partner for the FTA LaLiga match in the first round of its media rights tender last month.

This could potentially be due to LaLiga’s reserve price for the game, which was worth €14 million in previous media rights cycles.

Potential bidders for FTA LaLiga match

Barcelona-based MediaPro, which last month acquired rights to one weekly FTA fixture in the Spanish second tier LaLiga 2 for 2025/26 and 2026/27, could potentially look to acquire rights for the FTA LaLiga match.

Another option for LaLiga could reportedly be a joint bid from Spanish public broadcasters.

US private equity firm 777 Partners and finical backer A-Cap are facing a new lawsuit over sale of Everton to the Friedkin Group (TFG) last December, as first reported by Norwegian publication Josimar.

In a case filed on 1st May, London-based wealth management company Leadenhall is alleging that 777 and A-Cap violated a court order, arguing that they should subsequently be held in contempt of court.

In July 2024, Leadenhall secured a preliminary injunction against 777’s dissipation of assets, which were allegedly below fair market value, as part of a fraud case filed in New York.

Leadenhall are now stating that the Miami-based investment company has breached this, due to the sale of Everton last year. The case claims that after the takeover, TFG settled loans made to the English club by A-Cap through 777 subsidiary Nutmeg, which were worth around $201 million.

According to Josimar, ‘A-CAP received a 60 million pounds payment from TFG and 130 million pounds preferred equity in Everton plus warrants which, if converted, would give it a 10 percent shareholding in the club.’

Leadenhall is claiming that in April last year, Nutmeg transferred the loan from Everton to A-Cap ‘for no consideration’. Months later, in June 2024, the company alleges that A-Cap then took over Nutmeg ‘while avoiding transferring its equity’, before A-Cap wrote down the debt owed by Nutmeg last December.

Leadenhall’s case against 777 Partners

The new lawsuit also centres on the transfer of Trans Atlantic Lifetime Mortgages (TAMI) from 777 to A-Cap’s Kenneth King last July. Leadenhall is alleging that 777 recevieved from a cash advance worth between $2 million and $3 million for UK-based TAMI, despite the firm having an estimated valuation of between $250 million and $300 million.

As a result, Leadenhall is reportedly now demanding that both 777 and A-Cap are held in contempt of court, seeking a fine of $25,000 per day from the date of the transfer of TAMI on 8th July, and an additional $25,000 per day from the date of Everton’s sale on 18th December.

FC Cologne sack sporting director and head coach amid Bundesliga promotion push

FC Cologne have sacked sporting director Christian Keller and head coach Gerhard Struber, the German club confirmed.

Currently placed second in the 2 Bundesliga, Cologne are chasing promotion to the Bundesliga. However the club dropped out of first position last weekend, following a 1-1 draw against SSV Jahn Regensburg.

FC Cologne announced that Thomas Kessler would take over as the club’s sporting director, replacing Keller, who had served in the role since April 2022. Last summer, he appointed Struber as the team’s new head coach, following their relegation from the German top flight. Friedhelm Funkel will meanwhile take the reins as manager for the final two matches of the 2024/25 season.

Club must “seize this opportunity,” says president

“Our decision is the result of a thorough analysis of the team's sporting development over the past few weeks,” said Werner Wolf, president at FC Cologne.

“Given the still strong chance of direct promotion, we must do everything in our power to seize this opportunity.”

UEFA sanctions 13 clubs over overdue debts during 2024/25 season

UEFA has sanctioned 13 clubs for overdue debts during the 2024/25 season through its Club Financial Control Body (CFCB), European football’s governing body has announced.

Ligue 1 side Lyon received a €200,000 fine, while Turkey’s Trabzonspor and Georgia’s FC Dinamo Batumi were each given fines worth €100,000.

Eight additional clubs were fined between €10,000 and €50,000 by UEFA, while two Ukranian teams - FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih and FC Polissya Zhotomyr - were handed a warning.

Clubs given suspended exclusions from UEFA competition

In addition to UEFA’s financial sanctions, three clubs received a suspended ban from next season’s European domestic competitions due to debts that were overdue by more than 90 days. These include Kazakhstani club FC Astana, alongside Georgian sides FC Dinamo Tbilisi, and the aforementioned Batumi.

Astana’s ban is suspended for two seasons, and will only be imposed by UEFA if the club has overdue debts during the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons. The other two clubs however will have a probationary period of just one season, with a suspension enforceable for overdue debts during the next campaign.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe-owned petrochemical company INEOS is looking to sell Ligue 1 club Nice, according to multiple UK media reports.

INEOS, which became a minority owner of Manchester United last year after acquiring a 27.7 per cent, £1.25 billion stake in the Premier League club, has reportedly given US investment bank Lazard the brief of securing a new buyer.

The company initially acquired the French club in a full takeover worth €100 million back in 2019, with Ratcliffe now seeking a valuation of €250 million, as reported by The Athletic.

Collapse of LFP and DAZN deal could cause complications

A potential sale of Nice could reportedly be subject to complications, following the collapse of the French Professional Football League’s (LFP) broadcast deal with DAZN, which has now been terminated.

At the time of writing, Ligue 1 is currently without a domestic broadcast rights partner for the 2025/26 season.

UK Government moves to block Premier League from staging games abroad

The UK Government is set to add provisions to the Football Governance Bill, in order to prevent the Premier League and English Football League (EFL) from staging international fixtures, according to The Guardian.

The British newspaper reports that the bill, which will see the instalment of an independent regulator to oversee the top five tiers of English men’s football, is likely to have new amendments added to it.

Some UK members of parliament (MPs) reportedly believe that the bill should provide greater clarification on the hosting of matches outside of the country. Currently, the bill simply states that teams will require approval from the regulator ‘to move home games elsewhere’.

The Government is reportedly not planning to introduce this amendment, however it is ‘sympathetic’ to the notion of games being held internationally.

“No plans” for Premier League to stage international games

Last year, FIFA initiated the process to allow domestic leagues to host fixtures outside of their territories, setting up a working group to help make recommendations.

Recently, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) settled its longstanding legal dispute with media rights company Relevent Sports, opening the door for various leagues to bring regular season matches to the US. Both LaLiga and Serie A have made their intentions known in terms of staging fixtures in the US during the 2025/26 season.

Despite other European leagues’ plans to host games overseas, Premier League CEO Richard Masters dismissed the idea of the English top flight following suit, stating that “there are no plans to play matches abroad.”

LFP and DAZN confirm termination of broadcast partnership

DAZN has agreed to terminate its Ligue 1 domestic media rights partnership with France’s Professional Football League (LFP), the UK broadcaster and governing body have confirmed.

In a statement, LFP said: ‘As part of the mediation process initiated by Mr. Patrick Sayer, President of the Paris Economic Activities Tribunal, LFP Media and DAZN have reached an agreement to end their dispute.’

Ahead of the 2024/25 season, DAZN signed a five-year contract with LFP, which was reportedly worth around €400 million per season, with that deal now set to end after just one year.

DAZN’s settlement with LFP

LFP’s board of directors agreed to terminate the agreement in a meeting last month, however DAZN was unwilling to pay the termination fee at the time, which was reportedly worth around €100 million.

According to L’Équipe, DAZN have now agreed to pay this fee, as well as settling the final two payments for the current season, which are worth a total of €140 million.

Reading confirm Rob Couhig takeover

English club Reading have reached an agreement over a takeover led by US businessman Rob Couhig.

The League One side were forced to find a new buyer, after Chinese businessman Dai Yongge was disqualified as an owner by the English Football League (EFL) in March. Reading were initially given a 4th April deadline to find a new owner, which was later extended until 22nd April.

The club have now agreed to a sale to Redwood Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of US-based Dogwood Football LLC, which is owned by former Wycombe Wanderers owner Couhig and his business partnerTodd Trosclair.

During Yongge's tenure, Reading struggled with financial issues, which led to the club being docked six points by the EFL during the 2023/24 season. Last season, the club's women's team withdrew from the Women's Championship, falling to the fifth tier of English women's football.

Agreement subject to ‘final legal technicalities’

In a statement, Reading said the takeover, which also includes the Madejski Stadium and Bearwood Park training centre, is 'subject to final legal technicalities', but is expected to be completed soon.

The EFL has extended its deadline for former owner Yongge to divest his shares until the club’s next board meeting on 8th May.

Paris Saint-Germain set to appoint Richard Heaselgrave as new chief revenue officer

Ligue 1 champions PSG are set to hire Richard Heaselgrave as the club’s chief revenue officer, according to L’Équipe.

The report says that the former World Rugby and Australian Tennis Federation executive will replace Marc Armstrong, who joined Manchester United in February after a six-year tenure at the Parc des Princes.

Heaselgrave’s resume also includes various executive positions at the English Football League (EFL), the NBA, and UEFA.

PSG’s continued economic growth

The arrival of Heaselgrave marks the latest appointment for PSG, after the club named Victoriano Melero as their permanent CEO last October.

PSG generated the third highest revenue of any football club in the world during the 2023/24 season with €805.9 million. Despite this, the club reported a pre-tax loss of €56 million.

DAZN has reached an agreement with LFP to terminate its domestic broadcast contract with the French Ligue 1 after just one season.

L’Equipe has reported that DAZN will pay €100 million to break the contract, and the final two rights payments worth another €140 million. This agreement between the broadcaster and the league will be presented to the LFP’s administrative council on Friday to be ratified.

“There is an option to exit the contract that binds us to the League, as it wishes to launch its own channel project,” confirms DAZN to the French newspaper. This would give the LFP the freedom to launch a fully Ligue 1-dedicated channel next season by exploring the market for a partner. At the same time DAZN has clearly positioning itself to be that partner.

“We are convinced that we can bring significant added value to the League through this channel project. Leaving the clubs in the dark with a project that has yet to materialise seems extremely risky to us, just three and a half months before the start of the season. We are prepared to invest around €100 million in this channel.”

However, if the LFP partners with DAZN, it will forgo the €100 million in compensation provided for in the agreement.

Hopes to be partner for new channel

DAZN added: “The league may have other options, although we believe the right decision would be to go ahead with this channel project with DAZN.”

The platform has held talks with Nicolas de Tavernost, who was recently appointed as the new chief executive of the LFP Media subsidiary.

“We welcome the arrival of Nicolas de Tavernost. He knows the media well and is a rigorous manager. He has a good understanding of the football world," DAZN stated.

“The discussions we have with him are very constructive. Under these conditions, if there is a channel project, it's important for us to officially apply. We hope to have a favorable reception."

Earlier this year, DAZN failed to pay half of a rights fee instalment of around €70 million that was originally due in January.

The streamer withheld €35 million worth of funds, citing challenging operational conditions, partly due to piracy issues and insufficient cooperation from certain clubs in promoting the Ligue 1 product and failing to provide editorial content.

Luis Rubiales files legal complaint against LaLiga president over “abuse of authority”

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), has filed a legal complaint against LaLiga president Javier Tebas with Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD).

The alleged “abuse of authority” dates back to a meeting in 2022 between Tebas, Gerardo González Otero, and RFEF deputy secretary general Miguel García Caba.

According to leaked recordings from that meeting, Tebas offered Garcia Caba a pre-contract worth around €150,000 per year to leave the RFEF for LaLiga, and asked him to access the RFEF’s computer servers to illegally obtain information regarding the federation and Real Madrid.

As reported by El Español, the ex-RFEF president has requested that the Spanish Administrative Court for Sport (TAD) open disciplinary proceedings against Tebas and provisionally suspend him, due to the ‘very serious’ allegations.

Tebas’ response to allegations

On Wednesday, the LaLiga president hit back at Rubiales’ allegations, in a post shared on X.

“What has been done with that recording, months ago, is to provide it in its entirety to the Majadahonda Investigative Court, which is investigating Rubiales specifically,” said Tebas.

“We hope that the CSD, in this 'meticulous' study prior to transferring it to the TAD, listens to the entire recording.” He continued: “In short, those who dream of 'annihilating' me will not succeed. And don't sell the bear's skin before hunting it.”

FC Barcelona to relocate US office from New York to Miami

FC Barcelona are set to move the club’s US commercial operations from New York to Miami, the club have announced.

This comes after the Spanish club received a business incentive grant from the Miami Downtown Development Authority (DDA), who have provided more than $820,000 to new businesses in the district over last year.

“The city of Miami has become a hub for soccer in the United States and for us it makes sense to establish our commercial operations in one of the key markets for the Club's business,” said Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona.

Miami’s growth as a football market

The relocation to Miami is intended to bolster the Barcelona’s popularity across the US, and to engage the city’s Hispanic and Latino community, which accounts for more than 70 per cent of the city’s population.

The city is also home to Inter Miami, the current club of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. According to Forbes’ most recent valuations, the franchise is the second most valuable in MLS, with a reported worth of $1.2 billion.

Hertha Berlin yet to obtain DFL license for 2025/26

Hertha Berlin face a challenge in acquiring a license from the German Football League (DFL), in order to compete in the 2 Bundesliga next season, according to a report from Kicker.

The club will need to pay back a €40 million bond that the club recently obtained from the bank, which reportedly has an interest rate of 10.5 per cent, and needs to be repaid by November.

Hertha are looking to extend the bond for a further three years until 8th November 2028. This would see its interest rate drop to 6.5 per cent annually from 8th November this year, and would also allow the club to pay off the bond in full at any point after then.

Schalke and Nürnberg also yet to meet DFL’s requirements

Two additional Bundesliga 2 teams, Schalke and Nürnberg, also reportedly need to reduce their equity in order to receive their respective licenses.

Meanwhile, Bundesliga clubs Heidenheim and Holstein Kiel have also not yet met the DFL’s requirements.

Valencia’s Nou Mestalla construction to cost €194.6 million, says construction firm

The FCC Group’s construction of Valencia’s new stadium, the Nou Mestalla, will cost €194.6 million, the Spanish construction company has revealed.

The LaLiga club signed a contract with FCC in January, allowing construction of the new stadium to restart.

An external audit commissioned by the Valencia City Council projects the total coast of the new venue to be more than €341 million, excluding taxes and industrial profit that have yet to be added. This forecast marks a 17 per cent, €34 million increase on the club’s previous projection, as reported by 2Playbook.

New venue to be complete by 2027

In January, the club confirmed that work on the Nou Mestalla had resumed, with the new venue expected to be completed in January 2027.

Although Valencia first broke ground on the stadium in 2007, construction was delayed in 2009, due to the club’s financial difficulties at the time.

Greek businessman Evangelos Marinakis has withdrawn his control over Nottingham Forest, as part of a move to comply with UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

Although Marinakis will remain as Forest’s owner, he will no longer oversee day-to-day operations at the club, which are currently placed sixth in the Premier League, and are seeking qualification for next year’s Champions League.

The 57-year-old, who is also the majority owner of Greek club Olympiakos, has placed his shares in Forest into a blind trust - this could be a temporary measure in order to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules

As per UEFA’s regulations, individuals are prohibited from controlling two separate teams that are competing within the same competition, which would come to fruition if both Forest and Olympiakos feature in the 2025/26 Champions League campaign.

After Arsenal reached the semi-finals of this year’s Champions League, the Premier League secured an extra spot in next year’s edition of the elite European club competition, meaning the top five placed teams will each qualify.

Aston Villa executive Chris Heck to leave the club at the end of the season

Aston Villa’s president of business operations Chris Heck will leave his role at the end of the 2024/25 season, the club have announced.

The American, who initially took up his position at Villa Park in May 2023, is set to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf according to multiple reports from UK and US media. Prior to his arrival in Aston Villa, he previously held executive positions at the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, and at MLS club New York Red Bulls.

During Heck’s tenure, Villa generated a club-record revenue of £275.7 million for the 2023/24 season, during which the Premier League team qualified for the 2024/25 Champions League, returning to European football's elite club competition for the first time since 1983.

Villa have already opened their search for Heck’s replacement, and expect the appointment to be finalised ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Heck reflects on “unrivalled progress” on and off the pitch

“Aston Villa is one of the best clubs in the world, and I am grateful to have had an opportunity to contribute to their success over the past two years,” Heck said.

”From the beginning, we laid out a clear strategic road map, and I am so happy with the unrivalled progress we have made on that plan. In doing so, we have built a world-class team off the pitch to match the one that Unai Emery has built on it. I am an Aston Villa fan for life and look forward to seeing the club continue to make history.”

Burnley reveal £24.9 million loss for 2023/24 season

Burnley FC have reported a loss of £24.9 million for the year ended 31st July 2024.

This marks a slight improvement on the club’s loss of £27 million for the 2022/23 season, after their promotion from the Championship to the Premier League.

According to the club, which have just recently secured promotion back to the top tier of English football, this year’s loss was mainly due to an increase in player amortisation, which rose from £20.5 million to £42.6 million.

The financial impact of Premier League promotion

Following Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League for the 2023/24 season, the club’s total revenue more than doubled from £64.9 million to £133.6 million.

The uptick in revenue was largely driven by an increase in broadcast revenue, which surged from £47.8 million to £110.6 million. Meanwhile, Burnley’s commercial revenue more than tripled, rising from £3.2 million to £10.7 million.

Luton Town tap Limak to build new stadium, with work set to begin this summer

Luton Town have appointed Turkish construction company Limak to build the English club’s new 25,000-seat stadium at Power Court, the club have announced.

Work on the new venue will get underway this summer, and is expected to be completed ahead of the 2028/29 season. Ankara-based Limak has also worked on the development of the Spotify Camp Nou, the home of Barcelona.

In December, Luton were given the green light to build a new stadium, after receiving planning approval from the Luton Borough Council.

New stadium presents “transformative opportunity” for Luton

The Championship club’s new stadium project will aim to catalyse a broader regeneration of central Luton, and is expected to provide more than 1,000 permanent jobs.

Gary Sweet, CEO at Luton Town, said: “This is a transformative opportunity for the Club, helping us realise our ambitions to be a Premier League club again one day.

“Importantly, this new stadium project roots us in our community, bringing jobs and investment as part of the wider regeneration of the area.”

Chelsea reveal DAMAC as main shirt sponsor for remainder of 2024/25 season

Chelsea have signed a new partnership that designates Dubai-based company DAMAC Properties as the club’s front of shirt sponsor for the remainder of the 2024/25 season, the club have announced.

The deal will not include this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, with the club still looking to secure a long-term shirt sponsor.

Chelsea have been without a main shirt sponsor since the beginning of the current campaign, after the expiry of the club’ previous deal with Infinite Athlete.

DAMAC to develop Chelsea-branded residences in ‘£1 billion’ project

The agreement will additionally see the real estate developer oversee the development of Chelsea Residences by DAMAC, a new project that will include Chelsea-branded residence in Dubai.

This project will comprise more than 1,400 residential units, and will cost more than £1 billion, according to The Athletic.

Spanish club CF Intercity receive €40 million investment for new stadium project

Spanish third tier side CF Intercity have received a €40 million investment from Dubai-based fund Alpha Blue Ocean.

€33 million of the new funding will go towards the construction of the club’s new stadium, Alicante Park.

According to the club’s estimations, the new stadium project could generate more than €100 million per year to the local region.

Intercity’s new stadium plans

In January, Intercity announced the acquisition of a 100,000-square-meter site, where the club intends to build a 20,000-seat stadium as part of a sports and entertainment complex.

The Alicante-based club have also recently appointed Nakamoto Partners to help secure further investors for the new venue, with the club expecting receive additional offers ‘in the coming weeks’.

Manchester City are demanding that Premier League clubs reveal more details regarding shareholder loans from their owners, as reported by The Times.

The club are currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Premier League over the English top flight’s Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules. In City’s latest challenge against the Premier League, the club are arguing that rival clubs including Arsenal, Brighton, and Everton have an unfair advantage due to loans from their respective ownership groups.

Arsenal received around £259 million in shareholder loans during the 2022/23 season, while Everton benefited from £450 million. In the previous campaign, Brighton received approximately £406.5 million.

City’s latest legal battle with the Premier League

The English champions recently won a previous case against the league, after an arbitration tribunal deemed its APT regulation to be ‘void and unenforceable’.

City and the Premier League are set for their next legal trial in October, as reported by Sky Sports earlier this month.
 

Premier League opposed Reading takeover by Dai Yongge

The Premier League did not approve Reading’s takeover by Chinese businessman Dai Yongge in 2017, according to The Times.

Yongge completed a £24.5 million takeover of the club in 2017, when the team were competing in the Championship. However, the Premier League advised the EFL against the club’s sale at the time and is said to have made it clear that Yongge would have to sell his stake in Reading, should the club return to the top flight.

The Premier League previously prevented a Yongge-led consortium from buying Hull City, after deeming that the investor had not ‘shown good faith’ in his application to purchase the club. However, EFL's legal advice decided against disqualifying him due to it's rules at the time.

Reading handed until May to find new buyer

In February, the 57-year-old was disqualified as an owner by the English Football League (EFL), with the League One club initially handed a 4th April deadline to find a new buyer. Although this has since been extended until 5th May, the club could face a suspension from the EFL if they fail to secure a new owner in time.

According to a recent report from The Guardian, Reading are currently in ‘advanced talks’ over a takeover by US businessmen Rob Couhig.
 

DAZN and LFP close in on early termination deal

The French Professional Football League (LFP) and DAZN are close to agreeing to an early termination of their Ligue 1 broadcast rights partnership at the end of the 2024/25 season, according to L’Équipe.

DAZN is said to be ready to pay a €100 million cancellation fee, in order to exit the contract at the end of the current campaign. The broadcaster initially signed a five-year agreement last year, which included domestic rights to eight Ligue 1 fixtures per week until 2029, and is reportedly worth €400 million annually.

Earlier this month, LFP’s board of directors agreed to cancel the current deal, however DAZN rejected the proposal, as the company was unwilling to pay a termination fee that was reported to be worth between €110 million and €125 million.

LFP could create in-house Ligue 1 channel

LFP could look to launch its own channel to broadcast matches from next season. In order to facilitate this, Qatari network BeIN Sports would need to end its current media rights deal, which includes rights to one match each week.

LFP’s potential new channel could be produced and distributed by DAZN, unless the governing body decides to seek a different broadcaster.
 

Leeds United announce leadership changes following Premier League promotion

Leeds United have promoted chief strategy officer Robbie Evans to the role of managing director, as part of a series of changes to the club’s leadership team.

The Yorkshire club, which recently secured promotion back to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season, have also appointed chief operating officer Morrie Eisenberg as their new chief business officer, while finance director Fay Greer has been promoted to chief financial officer.

Leeds have additionally named Adam Underwood as their new sporting director. The new hires come after the departure of CEO Angus Kinnear, who recently joined Premier League club Everton.

New appointments to help “drive the club forward”

Paraag Marathe, chairman at Leeds United, said: “I am excited to welcome this group into their new roles as leaders of the club.

“These appointments are a recognition of the depth of our leadership team, our significant sporting and business achievements over the past two seasons, and our commitment to building a high-performing club led by individuals who represent Leeds United inside and out."
 

Mayor of London open to talks with Chelsea over new stadium plans

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has said he is open to discussions with Chelsea over the club’s stadium plans, during an interview with The Times.

The Premier League club are currently considering an expansion of their longtime home, Stamford Bridge, or alternatively the construction of a new stadium at Earl’s Court.

“My message to Chelsea is come and speak to us in relation to what you want to do,” Khan told The Times. “We’re really keen to make sure that Chelsea, as we are with all our clubs, continue to flourish and thrive, so we’re open to talking to Chelsea about what plans they have.

“At the moment they’ve not approached us. But we’re here.”

Twickenham could be temporary option if Chelsea opt for new stadium

The Times is also reporting that Twickenham, the home of England’s national rugby union teams that has a capacity of 82,000, could be a temporary option for Chelsea, if the club decides to build a new venue at the Stamford Bridge site.

English rugby union’s governing body, the RFU, is interested in accommodating the West London club for up to seven years until the new stadium is complete, however this could be prohibited by the Richmond upon Thames council.
 

AFC Bournemouth have reached an agreement to buy back their Vitality Stadium home, the Premier League club have announced.

Black Knight Stadium Limited, a new entity set up by the club’s owner Black Knight Football Club, will be the official owner of the venue. Black Knight FC, which is controlled by US businessman Bill Foley, completed a full takeover of Bournemouth in 2022.

Vitality Stadium has been Bournemouth’s home since 1910, however the club sold the venue for £3.5 million in 2005, when the team was then in League One and struggling with financial debts.

Stadium to expand to 20,000 capacity

“This acquisition is a strategic and logical step as we pursue AFC Bournemouth’s and Black Knight Football Club’s continued ambitions,” said Foley, in a club statement.

“We have acknowledged that accommodating more of our growing fanbase is integral to our goals for the club, and this move will allow us to pursue all options moving forward.”

Speaking at the opening of Bournemouth’s new £32 million training centre on 25th April, Foley revealed plans to expand the stadium’s capacity to 20,000 seats over the next two and a half years, adding that it could be further expanded to accommodate 23,000 fans.
 

Leyton Orient confirm takeover by US consortium

Leyton Orient’s takeover by a US consortium led by David Gandler is now complete, the English League One club have confirmed.

Under the agreement, Gandler has now become the majority shareholder of the East London club, after acquiring a 78.55 per cent stake.

Orient, who were previously owned by Eagle Investments 2017 Limited, are currently chasing promotion to the Championship.

Leyton Orient’s plans under new ownership

The club outlined a list of long-term objectives under the new ownership, which includes becoming a team that ‘can compete sustainably’ in the Championship, as well as building a new stadium in Waltham Forest, and enhancing their training facilities.

Nigel Travis, Chairman of Leyton Orient, said: “Our new investment will enable us to continue our on-pitch progression, whilst also pursuing other projects that will protect the long-term future of Leyton Orient, such as a new stadium and training facility.”
 

Borussia Mönchengladbach post €2.4 million loss for 2024

Borussia Mönchengladbach have reported a loss of €2.4 million for the financial year ended 31st December 2024, after generating a profit of €4.3 million the previous year.

Revenue dropped by €15 million, falling from €199.8 million to €184.5 million, which the German club attributes mainly to a decrease in revenue from player transfers, which was down from €38 million to €18.9 million.

Meanwhile, Mönchengladbach’s media rights revenue saw a slight decrease from €68.2 million to just under €65 million, after the club finished 14th in the Bundesliga, compared to their tenth-placed finish in 2022/23.

2024 figures a “respectable result”

Despite an equity drop of €2.5 million to €48.9 million, the club still has the second largest equity of any Bundesliga club without an investor or shareholder.

Dr. Stefan Stegemann, managing director at Borussia Mönchengladbach, called it "a thoroughly respectable result,” and stated that the club would have made an overall profit if the home fixture against Bayern Munich would have taken place at the end of 2024, as opposed to in January.
 

MediaPro retracts challenge over LaLiga’s new broadcast production deal

MediaPro has withdrawn its challenge against LaLiga's new broadcast production deal with HBS and TSA, which was announced earlier this month.

The new partnership will see the longstanding collaboration between MediaPro and Spain’s top flight conclude at the end of the 2024/25 season.

On 14th April, the company labelled the new agreement as ‘outrageous’, and criticised LaLiga’s production rights tender process as lacking transparency.

MediaPro’s U-turn on previous stance

MediaPro has now retracted its previous statement, which the company says was based on a ‘premature assessment of the tender process’, adding that it has ‘no grounds’ to challenge LaLiga’s decision.

‘We did not possess a factual basis to support these assertions and should therefore be disregarded,’ MediaPro said in its latest statement. ‘Likewise, MediaPro also wishes to retract any suggestion that the tender process lacked transparency or was marked by secrecy.'