Everton’s takeover saga could be set to take a new twist after it was reported that AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin is considering reviving his interest in the Merseyside club to rival fellow American John Textor’s bid.

According to Bloomberg, Friedkin is in fresh discussions with stakeholders about the feasibility of an offer and how it would be structured.

In July a proposed takeover by the US billionaire collapsed, ending a month-long period of exclusivity talks after Friedkin became concerned about the level of debt at the Premier League club following the failed takeover by 777 Partners.

At the time, a joint-statement on behalf of the Friedkin Group and Everton affirmed that a period of exclusivity was over and negotiations would “not be progressing”.

Optimism over interest

However, The Daily Telegraph reported this week that behind the scenes at Goodison Park there has been optimism that Friedkin’s interest had cooled rather than completely ended and he might be tempted back to the negotiating table.

It is unclear at this stage if Friedkin is maintaining a watching brief or readying a formal approach.

Blatter and Platini to face appeal trial in 2025

A second appeal trial against former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA president Michel Platini into the “disloyal payment” case will take place next March, Swiss and French media have reported.

The case will be heard at the Strafjustizzentrumin Muttenz before the extraordinary appeals chamber of the Judicial Court of the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft.

Blatter and Platini were both acquitted in July 2022 of fraud, embezzlement and other corruption charges in a criminal action brought by Swiss judicial authorities. The acquittals came despite both having been banned from football by FIFA, but prosecutors immediately appealed.

$2 million “disloyal payment”

The verdict followed an 11-day trial at the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland and centred around the so-called $2 million “disloyal payment” from FIFA to Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011, for work done a decade earlier.

Both men had denied wrongdoing and said the transfer was belated payment for Platini’s advisory work for Blatter, though there was no written proof of it. Blatter had described it as a “gentleman’s agreement”.

Levante UD close capital increase with €1 million – 25 per cent of planned total

Levante UD have raised €1 million from minority shareholders through their latest capital increase – just 25 per cent of the €4 million initially planned, the club have announced.

In a statement, the Spanish second division club revealed that in two phases, it sold 13,167 shares among 1,113 subscribers. The forecast was to place 48,975 shares.

In the first round, 12,223 shares were sold, to which 944 shares subscribed in the second round were added.

“Other mechanisms”

The club said it “will have to look for other mechanisms to be able to continue promoting all its proposals, actions and even the normal development of its activity.”

The statement added: “Some of them have already been launched and the Board of Directors, as this increase is not completed, is carrying out negotiations with the different debtors to be able to capitalize debt (convert it into shares) and thus relieve the club's treasury in the short term, which is the most pressing need that exists right now.”

RC Lens strike agreement to buy Stade Bollaert-Delelis

RC Lens president Joseph Oughourlian has confirmed that the club have struck an agreement with the town hall to purchase the Stade Bollaert-Delelis and could buy their home stadium for around €25 million.

Lens have played at the Bollaert-Delelis since its construction in 1933. However, like many clubs in France, ownership of the stadium remains with the local government rather than the club.

In an interview with French regional daily newspaper La Voix du Nord, Oughourlian said purchasing the stadium represents a unique opportunity for the club and a means by which it can raise additional capital.

“Interesting position”

The Lens president said: “[Buying the stadium] would place us in an interesting position, because we would be one of the very few clubs in France, perhaps the only one, once Olympique Lyonnais have sold their stadium, to own their own ground.”

Oughourlian added that Lens would look at the ability to bring in more revenue streams to the stadium, which could mean making it more multi-purpose.

The campaign group Fair Game has said the apparent involvement of MI6 in UK Government talks over the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United underlines why a controversial clause should be dropped from the new independent regulator for English football.

The clause in question would require the regulator to take into account “foreign and trade policy” – and UEFA has warned the Government it has concerns that the clause could amount to state interference in football.

A freedom of information (FoI) request by The Times for copies of the Foreign Office’s communications about the Newcastle takeover showed at least one letter on the issue was copied to the private secretary of “C”, the codename for the chief of MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service.

Fairer governance

Fair Game, which is campaigning for fairer governance in football, said the FoI letter was a “red flag” over the foreign policy clause in planned legislation for the regulator.

The UK Government is still reviewing possible changes to the Football Governance Bill. A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The regulator will not compromise the independence of the football authorities.”

Premier League clubs ‘frustrated by secrecy’ over Manchester City’s 115 charges hearing

The Premier League is facing frustration from clubs over the secret nature of the hearing into the 115 alleged rules breaches by Manchester City, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph.

The hearing is confidential and being held in private in front of an unnamed three-person commission in accordance with Section W of the league’s rules.

Public details of the City charges have been restricted only to a basic list of the rules and seasons of each alleged breach and, while photographs have emerged of legal teams arriving at an arbitration centre in London, even the location of the hearing was kept under wraps.

Legal costs

One club insider told The Daily Telegraph “we know the bill at the end – but not much else.” A lawyer who has acted for one Premier League club added: “Justice does not just need to be done – it needs to be seen to be done. There is no reason, in principle, why it is not being held in public.”

City have always denied any wrongdoing over the Premier League charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them.

Real Madrid suspend concerts at Bernabéu after noise complaints

Real Madrid have cancelled or rescheduled all concerts at their Santiago Bernabéu stadium after local people complained that a series of loud, late gigs had turned the arena into a “torture-drome”.

The Bernabéu has hosted high-profile concerts over the spring and summer, with headliners including Taylor Swift, Luis Miguel and Karol G, but, as reported by The Guardian, while delighting some music fans the concerts have driven many local people to despair.

Issues have included decibels far exceeding legal levels, fans camping out in local parks and the blocking off of residential roads. A group representing those living around the stadium began legal action against those responsible, including Madrid city council.

“Provisionally reschedule”

In a statement, the LaLiga champions said: “Real Madrid FC is announcing that it has decided to provisionally reschedule its event and concert programme at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

“This decision is part of a raft of measures that the club is taking to ensure that the concerts comply strictly with the relevant municipal regulations.”

It added: “Real Madrid will continue working to make sure that the necessary sound production and emission conditions are in place to allow concerts to be held in our stadium.”

The US investment manager Aliya Capital Partners has confirmed that it is backing John Textor’s bid to acquire Everton as the American businessman seeks to secure the financing required to push through a takeover of the Merseyside club.

As reported by Bloomberg, the Miami-based firm, which committed to supporting Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter two years ago, said in a statement: “We are delighted to support John Textor in his investment in Everton Football Club.”

Earlier this summer, Aliya offered its investors the chance to commit around $25 million to backing a deal for Everton, according to a pitch document reviewed by Bloomberg. As part of any transaction, Aliya will get a co-chairman position and one board seat at Everton.

Minimum 3x return

Aliya has given its investors the option of holding Everton shares for the long term or converting them into stock in Textor’s investment vehicle Eagle Football Holdings, in the event it goes public. Any conversion guaranteed a minimum 3x return, the document shows.

“Our involvement in Everton reflects our shared commitment to innovation and transformation in football,” Aliya said in its statement. “We eagerly anticipate Everton’s ascent under John’s visionary leadership.”

FC Barcelona’s LaLiga salary limit more than doubled to €426 million

FC Barcelona’s salary limit for the 2024/25 season has been set by LaLiga at €426 million, up 58 per cent from €204 million for the previous campaign.

The new spending caps for all Spanish top-flight and second-division clubs were announced by LaLiga late last week. Real Madrid continue to have the biggest by some distance at €755 million.
Atletico Madrid are third at €311 million and Real Sociedad fourth at €160 million. The total limit for LaLiga EA Sports is €2.6 billion, 2 per cent higher than at the start of the 2023/24 season.

Legal battle with Nike

As reported by Spanish media, Barcelona’s limit has more than doubled due in part to the ending of the club’s legal battle with Nike, which has meant the Catalan giants must uphold their contract with their kit sponsor up to 2028.

Other factors include the deal with club sponsor Aramark to become a strategic partner in Barcelona’s digital unit Barça Visión, and the matchday and membership income being lost while work continues on the revamp of the Camp Nou.

Inter and AC Milan revive new stadium plan after rejecting San Siro revamp proposal

AC Milan and Inter Milan have rejected a plan to revamp the San Siro but have revived proposals to build a new joint stadium in the same area, the city’s mayor Giuseppe Sala has revealed.

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with club representatives, Sala said: "After an in-depth analysis the clubs concluded that the [San Siro] stadium cannot be revamped in an affordable way ... they don't think it is feasible."

He added: "They have put forward the idea of going back to a new stadium in the San Siro area. … This a long story and I am sorry about that, but it's not easy to build a stadium in Italy.”

Five-year saga

The move marks the latest development in a saga stretching back five years. The clubs are now proposing to buy from the city of Milan the areas surrounding the old stadium and build a modern facility which would become their new joint home ground.

The clubs would become the owners of the old San Siro, which would be repurposed. Sala said that before going ahead the clubs have asked for an assessment of the economic value of the existing facility and the surrounding areas, clarity on the scope of heritage protection for the venue and set a timeline for a possible deal.

UEFA warns England risk ban from Euro 2028 over independent regulator

UEFA has warned UK ministers that England could be banned from Euro 2028 –which they are due to co-host – if the Government moves ahead with existing plans for a men’s independent football regulator.

As reported by The Times, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis wrote to the UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy this month saying there should be “no government interference in the running of football”.

According to a leaked copy of the letter, Theodoridis cautioned against plans outlined in the King’s Speech to give the new regulator broad powers to oversee clubs in England’s top five leagues, and said the game’s independence was a “fundamental requirement”.

“Trade and foreign policy objectives”

Theodoridis singled out proposed powers that would force club owners to make decisions based on the UK government’s “trade and foreign policy objectives” as a potential example of state over-reach.

This could include banning clubs from attracting investment from controversial countries or where they play friendly matches overseas. He also criticised the idea that the regulator could override clubs concerning the distribution of revenue from TV and other forms of media.

Theodoridis said: “We have specific rules that guard against [state meddling] in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition.”

The long-awaited hearing into the Premier League's 115 charges against Manchester City over alleged breaches of its financial rules will begin on Monday, according to a report from Sky Sports News.

However, it is understood a decision from the independent commission is unlikely to be made public before the spring. City have always denied any wrongdoing over the charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them.

It is expected the formal hearing with the independent commission will go on for up to two months, with both the Premier League and City to make lengthy legal representations, outlining their case.

Volume of charges

The independent commission will then go away and consider all the evidence before making their decision. That process is expected to take several months because of the volume of charges, and the amount of information to be reviewed.

Therefore, it could be March or later before a decision by the commission is made public. Even then, if the commission decide City are guilty of some or all of the charges against them, the club would likely appeal that decision, which would further delay the imposition of any sanctions or points deductions.

Mbappé set to take PSG to court over €55 million wages dispute

Kylian Mbappé is reportedly set to take Paris Saint-Germain to court as the striker’s claim over €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses rumbles on.

PSG were ordered yesterday by the LFP's legal committee to pay the arrears, but the club are refusing to do so and according to L'Équipe are now waiting for Mbappé to take his claim to the courts authorised to judge cases relating to labour law.

In a statement, PSG said: "Given the limits of the legal scope of the [LFP's legal] committee to take a full decision on this case, the case must now be challenged before another court, to which Paris Saint-Germain will be happy to present all the facts in the months and years to come.”

Mediation offer rejected

The latest developments have come after Mbappé rejected a recommendation from the LFP’s legal committee to attend a mediation with PSG to settle their ongoing dispute over the unpaid wages earlier this week.

PSG have insisted that Mbappé’s wage arrears are justified by the “commitments” made by the player to renounce them in the event of his departure as a free agent. The forward moved to Real Madrid in the summer on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

Everton distance themselves from John Textor takeover claims

Everton have moved to distance themselves from claims made by John Textor that he is close to buying the club.

In an interview on Sky Sports, the American businessman made a series of remarks outlining his plans for the club and suggested he is in the process of selling his stake in Crystal Palace, which would allow him to proceed with his interest in owning Everton.

“We’re into the final week or two of knowing who the buyer [of the Palace stake] will be,” Textor said. “The contract I have with Farhad gives us a lot of time for that as November 30 is our deadline set to make sure we can complete it. I feel we can do so before then.”

Baffled by comments

As reported by The Daily Telegraph, senior figures at Goodison Park were understood to be baffled by many of Textor’s comments and felt compelled to clarify the club’s position.

In a statement, Everton said: “The club is aware of the comments made by John Textor in relation to a potential purchase of the club.

“While positive conversations and progress continues to be made with Mr Textor to formalise any deal with him, there remains some work to be done to complete the transaction.

“Accordingly, the comments made by Mr Textor merely represent his personal view on club matters.”

Valencia CF hire Goldman Sachs to raise €120 million to help cover new stadium costs

Valencia CF have hired the US bank Goldman Sachs to raise around €120 million as the club looks to cover the costs of completing the construction of the Nou Mestalla, Spanish media have reported.

According to El Confidencial, the LaLiga club are looking to generate fresh capital to refinance the debt it has with CaixaBank and its largest shareholder, Peter Lim, as well as obtaining funds to complete their long-running stadium project.

In July, Valencia announced that work on the Nou Mestalla was set to resume within the next six months after the City Council of Valencia granted the club the mandatory building licence for the plot of land where the partially built venue sits.

Beset by difficulties

The construction of the new stadium has been beset by difficulties since being first unveiled back in 2006, but the recent granting of the building licence has provided a major boost to the prospects of it hosting matches at the 2030 World Cup.

The total budget needed to complete the stadium is understood to be €120 million, of which €80 million will come from the LaLiga Impulso project with CVC Capital Partners.

Manchester United have reported a net loss of £113.2 million for the financial year ending 30th June 2024 despite earning record total revenues of £661.8 million.

The deficit follows the loss of £28.7 million for the previous year and marks the club’s fifth consecutive annual loss, driven in part by increased investment in the playing squad.

United’s wage bill for 2023/24 went up by £33.3 million to £364.7 million, which the club said was primarily as a result of playing in the Champions League last season after competing in the Europa League in 2022/23.

Rise in broadcast income

The club’s appearances in the group stage of UEFA’s elite club competition were also the key factor in the revenue increase, driven primarily by a rise in broadcast income to £221.8 million, up from £209.1 million the previous year.

United also confirmed that the club incurred a total of £47.8 million in exceptional costs, largely related to the strategic review process which led to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a minority stake last December.

Under the new part-ownership led by Ratcliffe, United have embarked on a series of cost-cutting measures, including a restructuring process, cutting around 250 jobs.

Cardinale: Private equity investment has ‘massively inflated’ sports valuations

AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has claimed that private equity interest in sports teams has led to “massively inflated” valuations based on “facile notions” about the industry’s future growth.

Speaking at the IMG x RedBird Summit yesterday, Cardinale, who is the founder of US private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, took a swipe against rivals, saying the sector’s move into sport had been “bad for the ecosystem.”

The American argued that money was simply being parked in the sports industry with little effort to improve the performance of the underlying business. “This is about my crowd coming into sports,” he said.

“The problem with my crowd is they are asset managers. They just want to buy stuff, and that’s not great for intellectual property-based businesses.”

“No governance”

Cardinale added that RedBird, with its decades of experience in sport, was different from other investors. “What I’m trying to do there is bring what I’ve learned over 30 years in America to European football,” he said. “There’s a huge opportunity to return AC Milan back to where it was.”

However, he stressed that sports asset owners were too often asking investors to pay “control premium valuations for minority stakes with no governance, no information rights and no exit”.

Mbappé rejects mediation with PSG over €55 million wage dispute

Kylian Mbappé has rejected a recommendation from the LFP’s legal committee to attend a mediation with Paris Saint-Germain to settle their ongoing dispute over unpaid wages, French news agency AFP has reportedFrench news agency AFP has reported.

Lawyers for the star striker, who moved to Real Madrid in the summer, had contacted the LFP’s legal committee on 8th August to help resolve the conflict with his former club over his claim of €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses.

PSG yesterday welcomed the recommendation made by the LFP, announcing they had been trying “for many months” to establish a mediation with their former player. But later in the day it was reported that Mbappé had turned down the proposed move.

Signing bonus

The Ligue 1 champions are said to owe the France captain the final payment of a €36 million signing bonus, the last three months of his salary and an ‘ethics bonus’ for the period of April-June 2024.

PSG argue that Mbappé’s wage arrears are justified by the “commitments” made by the player to renounce them in the event of his departure as a free agent. The forward moved to Madrid on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

Vincent Labrune has been re-elected as LFP president for the next four years after defeating board member Cyril Linette, as had been widely expected, at the organisation’s elective general assembly yesterday.

As reported by French media, of the 17 members on the board of directors, Labrune obtained 14 votes, while Linette secured just two. Labrune then won 86 per cent of the general assembly votes in the first round.

The current president has come under fire over the handling of the sale of Ligue 1 broadcast rights in recent months, and during his campaign he staunchly defended his record, declaring that "no one could have done better".

Ambitious target

Labrune had set the ambitious target of €1 billion per year from the next cycle of Ligue 1 media rights, but the domestic rights were reportedly sold for around half that figure.

The deal with DAZN and beIN Sports was announced with just over a month to go until the start of the new season. The deal marked a decline from €624 million per year in the previous cycle.

Prospect of Chelsea moving to new stadium in Earl’s Court dismissed

Chelsea’s prospects of leaving Stamford Bridge and moving to Earls Court have been dismissed by the company in charge of the development of the site.

The move has come after The Guardian reported that the West London club had held talks about the possibility of moving to Earl’s Court, which is under the management of the Earl’s Court Development Company (ECDC).

Increasing the capacity from 42,000 is a major priority for the Chelsea owners, and according to The Guardian discussions had been held with Transport for London (TfL), one of the partners that looks after the Earls Court site, and the real estate developers Delancey.

“No plan for Chelsea to relocate”

However, as reported by The Daily Telegraph, the ECDC has released a statement dismissing the possibility of such a move.

“There is no plan within our plans for Chelsea FC to relocate to the Earl’s Court site,” the statement read. “We have a fully detailed design, shortly to be registered with both local authorities, which prioritises the delivery of thousands of homes and jobs, culture and open space.”

It added: “This will see development commence in 2026 with the first residents and occupiers moving in from 2030. This is, and will remain, our primary focus.”

Everton fans ‘could buy shares in club’ if Textor seals takeover

John Textor is considering giving Everton fans the chance to buy shares in the club if he succeeds in his £600 million bid to take control from Farhad Moshiri, The Guardian has reported.

The American businessman is preparing to float his holding company Eagle Football Group on the New York Stock Exchange, and sources close to Textor told The GuardianEverton could be taken public at a later date.

Textor is understood to be confident an agreement with Moshiri over buying Everton can be reached within four weeks after he was granted exclusive negotiating rights last month.

Plan to fund Everton purchase

Textor is planning to use his money and that of several unknown partners to fund the Everton purchase before absorbing the club into Eagle Football. Everton could then be listed on the stock exchange, which would require approval from the club’s board.

The Eagle Football IPO is due this month, with Textor seeking around £400 million in funding. The American holds a 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace which would need to be sold for a takeover of Everton to go through. He also owns Botafogo in Brazil and the Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.

AS Roma given boost to new stadium plans after appeal over use of land rejected

Plans for AS Roma’s new stadium have received a significant boost after a challenge over the land set to be used for its construction was dismissed by Rome’s highest legal authority.

As reported by Italian media, the Municipality of Rome obtained a fresh victory at the Council of State, putting an end to part of the complex legal saga linked to the Pietralata neighbourhood where the new stadium is due to be built.

The judges of Palazzo Spada rejected the appeal presented by two residents against the eviction order issued by the Campidoglio to free up the land necessary for the new venue’s construction.

Preliminary study

With the rejection of the challenge, the Campidoglio has recovered the areas of land, and technicians will be able to proceed with the geological core samples and the archaeological trenches – two essential steps to complete the preliminary study and draw up the definitive stadium project.

The next judicial stages are set for tomorrow and next Friday 20th September, when the civil court will discuss the protection of possession of the areas of land claimed by the residents.

RFEF calls presidential elections for October after Rocha suspension

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has taken its first steps to elect a new president following the disqualification of Pedro Rocha earlier this year.

In a statement, the RFEF announced that its management committee has called elections for the presidency of the federation and has elected María Ángeles García Chaves as president of the management committee.

Interested parties will be required to put forward their presidential candidacies by next Monday 16th September, and elections will then take place on 7th October “if there are numerous candidates”, the RFEF said. It added that if only one candidate comes forward, “this step will not be necessary.”

Infringement of authority

Rocha, who succeeded Luis Rubiales as interim president last year before being voted the new head of the RFEF in April this year, was suspended in July for two years for a “very serious infringement” of his authority.

Spain’s superior sports court (TAD) deemed last September’s dismissal of former general secretary Andreu Camps to be an abuse of Rocha’s authority.

Manchester United have formed a new strategic partnership with the city’s authorities to align plans for Old Trafford’s future with the regeneration of the surrounding area.

In a statement, the club announced they will work with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) “to maximise the growth and regeneration opportunities of the Trafford Wharfside area.”

The club added that an advisory team, led by an independent director, will be appointed to ensure the work of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force - set up in March to explore options for a new or revamped stadium - is closely aligned with the current Trafford Wharfside redevelopment project.

Project financing

As reported by The Athletic, one of the main focuses of the Task Force will be the financing of the project. A variety of potential private funding sources will be explored, with the cost of building a new stadium and/or a wider regeneration plan likely to require additional financial partners.

United are not expected to make a final decision on whether to build a new stadium or redevelop their existing Old Trafford ground until the end of the year but they are leaning towards creating a new venue.

Perez considers moving Real Madrid presidential vote ‘due to Super League hopes’

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez may call a presidential election earlier than expected due to the potential of a European Super League beginning in September 2025, according to a report from Spanish newspaper Sport.

Madrid and FC Barcelona are both still backing plans for the proposed competition despite no other clubs publicly expressing their support, and it is understood Perez may change the election timings to allow Real to underline their position well ahead of any possible start.

Initially, it was expected that an election would take place between April and June next year, but it is thought it could now be moved to this December. The vote will decide Madrid’s president for the next four years, with Perez widely expected to be re-elected.

Current popularity

Sport reported that while Perez may face opponents in the presidential vote, they would face an uphill battle given the current president’s popularity. Madrid won both LaLiga and the Champions League last season and are undertaking a major revamp of the Santiago Bernabéu.

If Perez retains the presidency, it would be his seventh term at the helm of the club and would stretch his tenure to 25 years if he is elected until 2029.

Todd Boehly believes his working relationship with Chelsea co-owner Clearlake Capital is at breaking point and that a resolution must be found to avoid a civil war at Stamford Bridge, The Daily Telegraph has reported.

Clearlake and Boehly are prepared to buy each other out but it is understood that while Boehly and his partners have sufficient resources to fund a full takeover Clearlake has insisted it will not sell any of its 61.5 per cent stake.

It has emerged that Boehly believes he can quickly raise more than £2.5 billion to make an offer to Clearlake that would also give the firm a profit on its initial investment. But an offer, however big, could fall on deaf ears if Clearlake maintains its not-for-sale stance.

Decade-plus commitment

It is thought that while Clearlake views its investment in Chelsea as a decade-plus commitment and wants to increase its stake, Boehly sees his involvement as lasting up to three decades.

According to The Daily Telegraph’s report, a cultural divide has opened up between Chelsea’s co-owners, and Boehly has come to the conclusion that the club’s structure has become untenable and a resolution needs to be found as soon as
possible.

Standard Liège to be put up for sale by A-Cap as it takes control from 777 Partners

Standard Liège have confirmed that US insurance company A-Cap is to officially step in and put the Belgian club up for sale after announcing that 777 Partners will no longer retain a seat on the board of directors.

In a statement, Liège said the club will appoint a new board of directors at a general meeting on 16th September.

“The reconstituted board will be composed of two representatives of the club and two representatives of A-Cap” the statement read. “777 Partners will no longer have a seat on the board of directors, marking the end of 777 Partners' control of the club.”

“Ongoing dialogue”

Liège added: “This transitional board of directors will work with Moelis & Co., a leading independent investment bank globally, to support the completion of a sale process that began in June and to ensure the club's stability during this process through an ongoing dialogue between A-Cap and Standard.”

Earlier this year, 777 Partners lost control over Liège, along with the other football clubs in its portfolio, after a range of financial and legal difficulties facing the Miami-based group came to light. A-Cap is 777’s biggest creditor.

AS Roma fined €2 million by UEFA for exceeding financial target

AS Roma have been fined €2 million in the latest rulings from UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) after the Serie A club exceeded a financial target set by the body.

UEFA said Roma “slightly exceeded the intermediate target” set for the financial year 2023/24. Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan and AC Milan were among clubs fined in previous years which UEFA said met financial targets for last season.

For the first time, the CFCB also assessed clubs against the new cost squad rule and said “all clubs reported a squad cost ratio within the 90% limit applicable for the 2023/24 season.”

Istanbul Basaksehir threatened with one-year ban

Meanwhile, Istanbul Basaksehir have been threatened with a one-year ban from European competition. The CFCB First Chamber judged the Turkish club “slightly breached the final target foreseen” for 2023/24.

Basaksehir will be barred from the next UEFA competition it qualifies for in the next three seasons unless it complies with fresh financial targets. The club was also fined €100,000 and can only register 23 senior players instead of 25 in the Conference League this season.

FIFA under fresh attack over calendar as WLA points to “unsustainable trend”

FIFA has come under renewed pressure over the expansion of the international calendar after the World Leagues Association (WLA) said a new report from global players' union FIFPro highlights an “unsustainable trend”.

The ‘Player Workload Monitoring Report 2024’ report from FIFPro released last week found that of 1,500 players around the world monitored for the research, 54 per cent “experienced excessive or high workload demands during the 2023/24 season.”

The report added that for many top players, “the right to a guaranteed annual break has become virtually non-existent, with the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 being held during the only period of the year theoretically available to players to take such breaks.”

“Already congested calendar”

In a statement, the WLA said: “This comprehensive and critical report, based on the latest and most accurate data, highlights the unsustainable trend of continually adding international games to the already congested match calendar.”

The WLA’s comments follow the launch in July of legal action by FIFPro and the European Leagues against FIFA over what they allege is abuse of a dominant position in relation to the international calendar.
 

FIFA responded strongly to the legal action, accusing some leagues of "hypocrisy" by sending their players on international pre-season tours. The global governing body has also denied accusations it failed to consult with relevant parties over recent changes to the calendar, including the expansion of the Club World Cup.

The financial landscape of the Premier League is undergoing a significant shift following a change in the league’s regulations. Non-UK-incorporated banks are now permitted to enter the world’s largest football market and provide loans to Premier League clubs. 

According to information obtained by Off The Pitch, two German banks, Oldenburgische Landesbank (OLB) and Internationales Bankenhaus Bodensee (IBB), have been among the first to receive approval from the Premier League as official lenders.

OLB and IBB have been active in the European market for years, specialising in transfer receivables, which have become an essential cash flow tool for football clubs. Both banks have already secured deals during the recently closed transfer window.

Insiders say that the market has immediately become far more competitive, benefiting clubs as the current market leader, Macquarie, has reportedly acted aggressively in this transfer window to maintain its market share.

Lobbying for change

For years, European banks specialising in football receivables finance have been lobbying for a change in the Premier League’s rules, which were initially designed to keep dubious lenders out of the market. Previously, only banks operating as deposit-taking institutions in the UK were allowed to provide loans to clubs.

Football receivables finance involves a club either selling a future income stream to a lender at a discounted rate or borrowing against a specific receivable. This arrangement allows football clubs to access funds immediately, rather than waiting for periodic instalments.

Chelsea CEO Chris Jurasek steps down as part of reshuffle

Chelsea CEO Chris Jurasek has left the club just over a year after his appointment as part of a reshuffle of management operations at the West London club.

Jurasek, who has also served as an operating executive at Chelsea’s majority owner Clearlake Capital for more than a decade, arrived in May 2023 as Tom Glick, the club’s former president of business, stepped down from his post.

In a statement, Chelsea confirmed that in Jurasek’s place will be a management team to run all the club’s non-sporting operations led by Jason Gannon, the former managing director of SoFi Stadium who was appointed chief operating officer at Stamford Bridge in October 2023. He has been given a new title of president and chief operating officer.

Prominent figures

As reported by The Athletic, other prominent figures in the management team supporting Gannon have also been given new job titles. Long-serving general counsel James Bonington has been appointed chief legal & corporate affairs officer, while James Murray, hired from AC Milan last year, will serve as chief strategy officer and head of business operations.

Chief revenue officer Casper Stylsvig will also see his responsibilities grow in the new structure, with Todd Kline and Phil Lynch also set to take up senior business roles once they formally join from Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United respectively.

Newcastle look to avoid ‘Saudi tax’ on transfers after backing down from £70 million Marc Guehi deal

Newcastle United sporting director Paul Mitchell has said he had to walk away from a deal to sign English defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace – reportedly worth £70 million– to show the club would not be taken advantage of in the transfer market.

The club’s hierarchy have complained that, since its takeover by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in October 2021, a “Newcastle tax” was being demanded if they enquired about signing players.

In comments reported by The Daily Telegraph, Mitchell said one of the first things he had to do after his appointment in July was end the club’s practice of inflated prices – even though it had led to a “frustrating” end to the transfer window.

Long-term strategic view

In his first window in charge of recruitment, Mitchell failed to make a new signing but argued it was more important to take a long-term strategic view, especially in light of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), than make a signing for “the sake of his ego”.

“Is there a point of value for every single player and did, maybe, this football club need to draw a line in the sand of ‘we’re not going to overpay?’,” he said.

Manchester City hopes ‘boosted by Premier League legal defeat to Leicester’

Leicester City’s legal victory against the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) is likely to give Manchester City increased hope in their defence against 115 alleged breaches of the league’s rules, according to a report from The Times.

It comes after a bruising week that could force the Premier League to act to correct “flaws” in its regulations as the league’s financial rules come under increasing pressure.

Leicester’s successful appeal against a PSR decision is expected to lead to a redrafting of the Premier League’s handbook. One club source described them as “not fit for purpose” but any rule change will have to be approved by 14 of the 20 clubs.

“Forensic detail”

A sports law expert told The Times the outcome of the Leicester case would boost Manchester City’s hopes when its defence against the 115 alleged rule breaches begins, which is due to be later this month and to last ten weeks.

He said: “Manchester City will have hope that the Leicester case shows an independent panel looking at the Premier League rules in forensic detail rather than doing what is expedient.”

Pernod Ricard drops PSG sponsorship deal over Marseille fan protests

French liquor company Pernod Ricard has scrapped a new sponsorship deal with Paris Saint-Germain following protests from Marseille fans, who complained the drink belongs to their city.

Pernod Ricard said in a statement it ended the global deal announced this week “in the face of the strong emotions aroused.” Marseille, PSG’s bitter rival, has long been associated with Pernod Ricard’s liqueur called pastis.

The hashtag #boycottPernodRicard spread on social media after the deal was unveiled, as fans felt betrayed by a company that boasts about its Marseille origins. Even Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan became involved, asking Pernod Ricard for an explanation.

Calls for boycott

When the deal was announced, upset Marseille fans said they would stop drinking pastis, or switch to rival brands, while others called for a boycott of the more than 240 brands in the wine and spirits seller’s global portfolio.

The four-year agreement was set to begin this season and would have covered PSG’s men’s and women’s soccer teams and handball. For over a decade, Pernod Ricard has been an official provider of wine and spirits to PSG’s hospitality programme.

The Premier League has cleared Chelsea's £76.5 million sale of two hotels to a sister company, providing a boost to their compliance with the league’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR), according to a report from ESPN.

In April, the West London club reported a loss of £89.9 million for the 2022/23 financial year, but the accounts showed the figure would have been £166.4 million had ownership of the hotels not changed from Chelsea FC Holdings Ltd to BlueCo 22 Properties Ltd.

While UEFA and the English Football League bans such sales, the Premier League allows them to take place subject to an assessment of their "fair market value" under the league's associated party transaction rules.

Within an acceptable margin

Sources told ESPN that this process has now been completed and the deals were found to be within an acceptable margin relating to estimates of the hotels' valuation had they been sold to another bidder.

A source close to Clearlake Capital, the majority owner of Chelsea, told ESPN the club is confident of complying with the rules both in previous years and in the three-year period ending 2024/25.

EFL expresses frustration over Leicester City's alleged breach decision

The English Football League (EFL), in a statement, has expressed its shared frustration with the Premier League following an independent appeal board's decision regarding Leicester City's alleged breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

The EFL is currently reviewing the decision in detail and is withholding further comments until the conclusion of any potential appeal by the Premier League or subsequent action by the EFL itself.

According to the statement, "It cannot be right that Clubs potentially escape the scrutiny of the agreed rules and sanctions due to movement across the divisions."

Expect good faith

The EFL emphasizes that cost control rules are agreed upon by member clubs of both the Premier League and EFL.

It stresses the importance of applying these rules as intended to maintain the integrity of competitions and expects clubs to act in utmost good faith for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.

Premier League fail in bid to make Everton pay full £4.9 million legal bill for PSR case

The Premier League has failed in an attempt to make Everton pick up its full £4.9 million legal costs for last season’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) case, which resulted in the club being deducted ten points, reduced to six on appeal.

As reported by The Times, a commission and appeal board instead ruled that Everton should only pay £1.7 million, about a third of the total amount, with the Premier League covering the remaining £3.2 million.

Everton had challenged the league’s costs, with their lawyer Celia Rooney telling the appeal that the figures submitted were “frankly eye-watering”. The full findings of the costs appeal are revealed in a judgment made on 5th July, which is now available on the Premier League’s website.

Concerns over Manchester City case

The details of the league’s costs involved in a simple PSR case have raised concerns about the bill it may be facing from handling the 115 alleged rule breaches by Manchester City and a separate legal challenge by the club against the associated party transaction rules.

Meanwhile, Everton are still involved in another legal dispute with the Premier League over whether £6.6 million in interest payments relating to their new stadium can be taken out of the club’s PSR calculations. If the club lose, that could theoretically lead to a further points deduction.

Valencia CF implements dynamic pricing for ticket sales, sparking fan outrage

Valencia CF has introduced a new dynamic pricing system for ticket sales, a move that has quickly ignited backlash among supporters. The club announced that ticket prices for home matches will now fluctuate based on various factors, including seat availability and how close it is to match day.

In a statement on their website, Valencia CF explained that this approach follows a global trend seen in other entertainment sectors, including sports. The system, backed by LaLiga's technology, will start ticket sales at a base price, with potential increases depending on stadium occupancy and the time remaining before the match. The club emphasized that purchasing tickets early will help fans secure the best prices.

This shift in ticket pricing strategy reflects a broader trend in the sports and entertainment industries, where dynamic pricing is used to optimize revenue based on demand. However, many Valencia fans see this as a move that prioritizes profit over loyalty.

"radically against it"

A spokesperson for the supporters' group Libertad VCF expressed strong opposition, speaking to BBC, "We are radically against it. It is a strategy of pure speculation based on demand without taking into consideration that football fans are not simply customers."

While Valencia CF argues that the new pricing model aligns with modern practices, the decision has undoubtedly fueled discontent among the club's passionate fanbase, who feel that their loyalty is being undermined by a system that could price them out of attending matches.