Paris Saint-Germain are under growing pressure to resolve the dispute with their former star striker Kylian Mbappé over his claim of €55 million in unpaid wages after his lawyers referred the matter to the LFP and UEFA, French media have reported.

The Ligue 1 champions are said to owe the France captain, who made his debut for new club Real Madrid last week, 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.

It was reported in June that Mbappé’s lawyers had put PSG on notice over the issue and yesterday Le Monde reported that the dispute has now been passed to the legal committee of the LFP and, through an intermediary of the French Football Federation (FFF), to UEFA.

Champions League place at risk

The LFP legal committee has the power to impose a transfer ban on PSG until the situation has been resolved, while UEFA can cancel a club’s licence to play in European competition if proof has not been provided that they have no salary arrears – meaning the French giants could be prevented from playing in the Champions League.

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 Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer after his PSG contract expired.

Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo has said the league is looking for ways to ensure its transfer market closes before the start of the season in future amid concerns about the current timings.

The new Italian top-flight campaign began on Saturday, with the transfer deadline arriving at midnight on 30th August, in line with most of the rest of Europe. As a result, several clubs are being forced to leave out players who are the subject of transfer negotiations.

Speaking to Radio Serie A, De Siervo said: "It is not utopian to start after the transfer market". He also revealed that the league is continuing to speak with others in Europe and beyond in an attempt to resolve the issue.

No agreement with LaLiga

“We tried to compare ourselves with the European leagues, but the Spanish LaLiga was categorical in this regard and we were unable to find an agreement,” De Siervosaid. “In spite of ourselves, we had to accept to go until 30th August for the market to close.”

He added: “We have also opened a dialogue with the Saudi Pro League that goes in the direction of postponing the start of the championships after the transfer market”.

Ex-Chinese FA vice president jailed for 11 years for taking bribes

Two more former Chinese football officials have been handed severe sentences as the impact of the corruption scandal that has hit the game across the country in recent months continues to play out.

According to a report from state news agency Xinhua, Li Yuyi, the former vice president of the Chinese FA, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined 1 million yuan ($139,579) for taking bribes.

Xinhua reported that Fu Xiang, a former director of the sport’s administrative centre in provincial capital Wuhan and vice-chairman of the Wuhan FA, has also been sentenced to 11 years in prison by a court in Hubei after being found guilty of embezzlement, and taking and giving bribes.

High-profile prosecutions

The sentences are the latest in a string of high-profile prosecutions carried out against high-ranking members of the Chinese FA, and follow investigations into more than a dozen high-level football officials in the country since November 2022.

In March, a former chief of the Chinese FA was sentenced to life in prison for accepting more than $10 million in bribes, in one of the biggest anti-corruption probes in the sport in years.
 

VfB Stuttgart are reportedly set to receive a cash injection of around €20 million this month following the completion of the second tranche of Porsche’s acquisition of a 10.8 per cent stake in the club.

The €41.1 million agreement was first unveiled last June, when the Bundesliga club announced a sponsorship package worth up to €100 million with Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and MHP.

However, Porsche’s acquisition of a stake was held up by a series of delays before the German Football League (DFL) gave its approval this January. Porsche acquired the first 5 per cent that month, leading to the first injection of around €20 million.

Supervisory board

According to Kicker, the document confirming the second tranche of the investment was certified last week and signed by Porsche board members Lutz Meschke and Albrecht Reimold, who now also sit on VfB Stuttgart’s supervisory board.

The completion of the deal means that Porsche and Mercedes-Benz now each own just over 10 per cent of VfB Stuttgart, with sports goods company Jako holding 1 per cent and the e.V. the rest.

Ed Sheeran acquires 1.4 per cent stake in Ipswich Town

Ipswich Town have announced that the English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran – a lifelong fan of the club – has acquired a minority stake in the newly promoted Premier League side.

In a statement, Ipswich said Sheeran has bought a 1.4 per cent stake, and as part of the agreement will have long-term use of an executive box at Portman Road. The artist will not join the board “as this is a passive and minority investment only,” the club added.

Sheeran has been the front-of-shirt sponsor for the Ipswich men’s and women’s teams since 2021, and has acquired his shares through Gamechanger 20 Ltd.

“Not a voting shareholder”

Sheeran said: “I am really excited to have bought a small percentage of my hometown football club. … I’m not a voting shareholder or a board member, this is just me putting some money into the club I love and them returning the gesture.”

Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton added: “The support Ed and his team have shown us over the last three years has been nothing short of remarkable and for him to make this investment in the club feels like the natural progression in our relationship.”

American businessman John Textor is in exclusive talks to buy a majority stake in Everton Football Club from current owner Farhad Moshiri.

According to The Athletic, Textor has agreements in place with Moshiri and Everton, although Moshiri's spokesperson declined to comment on the matter.

The potential acquisition of Everton by Textor follows after The Friedkin Group (TFG)'s withdrawal from purchasing Moshiri's 94 percent stake due to concerns over the club's £200 million debt to 777 Partners, another investment firm that had previously considered a takeover.

Must divest Crystal Palace stake

Textor, who already holds a 45 percent stake in Crystal Palace through his Eagle Football Group, must sell this share to comply with Premier League rules that prohibit owning stakes in two clubs within the same division.

The businessman's move towards Everton comes after he engaged Raine Group to find a buyer for his stake in Crystal Palace and expressed interest in other English clubs. To proceed with the Everton deal, Textor would need to address TFG's £200 million loan to Everton.

Major overhaul in English women's football to boost growth

Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), a new company, has taken over the management of England's top women's football leagues, the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, from the Football Association (FA).

This major structural overhaul aims to capitalize on the growing popularity of women's football in England and unlock new commercial opportunities to further develop the professional game.

According to a report from Finincial Times, the national team's recent successes, including winning Euro 2022 and finishing as runners-up in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, have significantly boosted the sport's profile.

Nikki Doucet, a former investment banker appointed as chief executive last year, highlighted the "unprecedented growth" in women's football in England, with increased fan engagement and rising match attendance.

Premier League Backs WPLL

The Premier League has supported this transition by providing a £20 million interest-free loan to WPLL and will share expertise across various operational areas. The Premier League will also hold a board seat at WPLL until the loan is repaid.

Premier League CEO dismisses overseas matches

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters has made it clear that there are currently no plans to play league matches overseas, despite ongoing legal proceedings that could potentially allow for such games in the future.

Speaking before the start of the 2024-25 season, Masters addressed the case between U.S. event promoter Relevant Sports and FIFA, which may lead to clubs being permitted to play official league games outside their home countries.

According to a report by The Athletic, Masters stated, "I need to say there are no plans to play matches abroad in the Premier League." He emphasized that the topic has not been discussed at a shareholders' meeting since the proposal of a 39th game in 2008, known as the '39th game' proposal.

Criticising FIFA

Masters also expressed concerns over FIFA's decision-making process, particularly regarding the introduction of a new Club World Cup in 2025 and the expansion of the World Cup in 2026.

He criticised FIFA for not consulting leagues and players' unions adequately on decisions that significantly impact the global football calendar and player welfare.

UEFA turns to supercomputer for complex draw

UEFA has introduced a supercomputer to help conduct its draw on Friday for European club competitions, in an indication of how complex its new formats will be for fans to understand, reports senior correspondent James Corbett.

The competition format for the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues undergoes major changes this season, expanding to 36 teams in a league-style competition. The traditional group stage is replaced by a structure where clubs face eight different opponents, but all 36 teams will be ranked in a single table, regardless of who they play

But the system of organising the draw is so complex that UEFA has had to bring in a hybrid of a manual and digital draw. It has partnered with AE Live, a digital solutions provider, and EY as its audit partners for the event.

UEFA Promises 'New Era'

As previously reported by Off The Pitch, UEFA has struggled to meet financial targets in selling TV rights as it faces competition from the EPL, a declining rights market, and broadcasters who have struggled to buy into its new format.

In a media presentation on Wednesday, UEFA were upbeat describing it as a “new era” for its competitions promising “more matches involving teams of equal strength, more unpredictability and more top-level clashes right from the beginning.”

Surge in European football sponsorship deals

According to SponsorUnited's European Football Marketing Partnerships 2023–24 report, brand investments and sponsorship deals in European football have seen a significant increase, more than doubling the growth rate from the previous season.

The number of brand sponsors grew by 22% this season, with almost 6,000 deals recorded, marking a 20% increase from the prior season and an 11% decrease in churn rate.

The trend towards exclusive single-club partnerships has surged, with 88% of brands opting for such deals, resulting in over 3,800 different brands committing to individual football clubs. This is a 23% increase from last season. Serie A and LaLiga clubs have now surpassed Premier League clubs in sponsorship deals.

Remarkable follower growth

The top five growing teams have significantly outpaced follower growth across all teams, with Real Madrid CF leading with an addition of 54 million followers, largely due to the presence of high-profile players such as Vini Jr.

Coca-Cola remains the top sponsor in European football with 39 deals, while construction leads brand categories with nearly 800 sponsorships.
 

Premier League CEO Richard Masters has declared “it is time” for the case against Manchester City over 115 alleged breaches of the league’s rules to “resolve itself” as the long-awaited hearing looks set to begin next month.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Masters refused to be drawn on the timeline of the hearing but said it was clear the case against the eight-time Premier League champions needed to be resolved for the good of the league.

“It’s been going on for a number of years and I think it is self-evident that the case needs to be heard and answered,” he said.

Potential decision by early 2025

ESPN has reported that the hearing is pencilled in to open on 16th September, while sources with understanding of the process have told The Daily Telegraph a verdict is certain by the end of the new season, with some suggesting a potential decision by early in the new year.

City have always denied any wrongdoing over the 115 charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them. They have employed Lord Pannick KC to lead the club’s defence against the charges.

Leicester feud with Premier League over PSR could drag on into next year

Leicester City’s bitter feud with the Premier League over an alleged breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) may not be resolved until next year, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph.

Last season’s EFL Championship title winners are facing a possible points deduction after being charged with breaking the rules back in March, but it is understood a verdict is likely to be months away.

It is believed the hearing may not take place until later this year, with the prospect of appeals and further legal procedures then prolonging the case into the second half of the season.

Strong and realistic defence

Sources have claimed the sanctions could be significant, though Leicester are said to believe they have a strong and realistic defence and are hopeful of being deducted no more than six points.

PSR allows clubs to make losses of £105 million over a three-year period. Leicester reported record losses of £92.5 million for 2021/22 and then an £89.7 million deficit for 2022/23, which the club is expected to argue was the result of mitigating circumstances, including unforeseen relegation.

OTP Player Valuation Tool expands with three new leagues

Ahead of the new season, Off The Pitch is excited to announce an expansion of our Player Valuation Tool. Our coverage is expanded to also include the Argentine Primera Division, Turkish Super Lig, and Saudi Pro League.

These leagues have been handpicked for their growing influence in the global transfer market, making them the natural extension to the ten leagues we already covered (the Big 5 leagues, the English Championship, Dutch Eredivisie, Portuguese Primeira Liga, Belgian Pro League, and the Brazilian Serie A).

With these new additions, the tool now offers precise valuation estimates for over 7,300 players across thirteen leagues updated on a monthly basis over the season.

Expanding the training dataset

We have also refined the underlying algorithms of the tool by increasing their complexity and expanding the training dataset with 81% more real-world transfers. These improvements ensure that our valuations are sharper and more accurate than ever.

The new tool crowns Jude Bellingham as the world’s most valuable player at €194 million. However, his teammates Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr., along with Erling Haaland, follow closely behind and may challenge that title as the season unfolds.

The hearing against Manchester City over 115 alleged breaches of Premier League rules is reportedly due to start next month, with the outcome potentially due early in the new year.

The independent commission had been expected to start in November but sources with knowledge of the case have told The Times it is now due to begin in mid-to-late September, unless there are further legal delays.

It is understood the outcome of City’s separate legal case brought against the Premier League’s associated party transaction rules (APT) is set to be revealed in the next two weeks, which would then allow the 115 charges hearing to take place earlier.

Some successes

There is said to be a belief that City have achieved some successes in the APT arbitration hearing. In that case, the Premier League champions have claimed they are victims of “discrimination” from rival clubs.

City have always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the 115 charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them. They have employed Lord Pannick KC to lead the club’s defence against the charges.

John Textor confirms interest in Everton takeover

John Textor has confirmed he is interested in acquiring a majority shareholding in Everton and has acknowledged he would need to sell his 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace before initiating a bid.

In an interview with The Daily Mirror, the American businessman said: “We have made clear our interest in having a majority interest in a UK club, whether it is Championship or Premier League. Yes, we are looking at Everton along with everybody else.”

Textor, who owns French Ligue 1 side Lyon, Botafogo in Brazil and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium through his company Eagle Football Holdings, added: “I would have to rationalise my interest in Palace before I could close anything [with Everton].”

Fresh bid

Last week, The Guardian reported that Textor had made a fresh bid for Everton, with the terms believed to be the same as when he made an offer on 1st June in the previous round of bidding. Dan Friedkin, the US billionaire owner of AS Roma, withdrew from a takeover deal last month after carrying out due diligence.

Textor, who paid £87.5 million for a 40 per cent stake in Palace in 2021 before extending it to around 45 per cent when he bought Lyon a year later, is understood to have held talks with another Premier League club and one in the EFL Championship over a potential takeover in recent weeks.

Reading takeover: US businessman Rob Couhig nears £30 million deal

American financier Rob Couhig is closing in on a deal to buy EFL League One club Reading from Chinese businessman Dai Yongge, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Couhig, who previously owned another League One side, Wycombe Wanderers, is understood to be leading a consortium in advanced talks to acquire Reading for around £30 million.

Sources familiar with the proposed deal told Bloomberg that under terms being discussed, the investor group will pay off Reading’s existing debt with third-party creditors, and an agreement could be reached within days.

Complexities in talks

According to the report, Couhig had aimed to reach a deal before Reading’s first match of the new season against Birmingham City last weekend, but complexities in the negotiations, including who owns Reading’s stadium, have delayed the deal’s progress.

Dai acquired Reading in 2017 and the club has struggled financially in recent years. Under Dai’s ownership, the club has been docked a total of 18 points for breaking the EFL’s financial rules, contributing to its fall down to League One.

Serie B avoids blackout after striking three-year deal with DAZN

Serie B has avoided a blackout of coverage ahead of the start of the new season on Friday after agreeing a deal with DAZN for a “co-exclusive” package of matches over the next three years.

The UK-based streaming platform confirmed the deal in a statement and said it would continue to show all the league’s matches. It comes after Serie B re-launched its domestic broadcast rights invitation to tender (ITT) last week.

The reserve price per broadcaster was reportedly lowered to €13 million per season, far lower than the reported €27 million per season Serie B was receiving from DAZN and Sky in the final year of the previous three-year deal.

Serie A Femminile rights

Meanwhile, DAZN and Italian free-to-air broadcaster Rai have bought the rights to show the women’s Serie A Femminile for the next three years as extensions to existing agreements in both cases.

DAZN will show all the matches of the 10-team league, while Rai will broadcast one match per game week, and will also cover the women’s Coppa Italia and Italian Super Cup knockout competitions.

PSG minority stake acquired by NBA star Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant has become a minority shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain through the NBA star’s investment firm Boardroom.

In a post on X, Boardroom confirmed that the two-time NBA champion has invested in the French champions “through Boardroom Sports Holdings, LLC via Arctos Partners, the strategic minority investor in the club.”

Sources with knowledge of the agreement told The Athletic that Boardroom has bought a “single digit millions” shareholding through a separate financial vehicle created by Arctos, the US-based private investment firm which purchased a 12.5 per cent stake in PSG last year.

New training centre

Durant took time away from his Olympic schedule to visit PSG’s new training centre at Poissy, west of Paris, last week, and met with the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Sources with knowledge of his visit told The Athletic he was accompanied by his manager and co-founder of Boardroom, Rich Kleiman. The two sides “presented” to each other regarding the agreement.

Norwich City joint majority shareholder Mark Attanasio has reached an agreement to gain control of the EFL Championship club by increasing the stake held by his group Norfolk FB Holdings to around 85 per cent.

In a statement, the club said that under the agreement longtime owners Delia Smith and husband Michael Wynn Jones will cut their shareholding in the club to 10 per cent and step down as directors next year.

Attanasio, who owns the MLB team Milwaukee Brewers, first invested in Norwich in 2022, and in April his firm increased the size of its stake in the team from 21.5 per cent to 40.4 per cent, giving him parity with Smith and Wynn Jones.

Honorary life presidents

The deal is subject to board and shareholder approval and if agreed will go through on 1st March, 2025. It does not involve payment to Smith and Wynn Jones, who first joined the club’s board in 1996 and will become honorary life presidents of the club.

Norwich said: “Delia and Michael have always been clear that they would act in the best interests of the club when passing on stewardship of it. By structuring the agreement in this way the parties have secured the long-term financial security of the club.”

MK Dons takeover completed by Kuwait-based group

MK Dons have confirmed that the takeover of the club by a Kuwait-based consortium has been completed, ending chairman Pete Winkelman's 21-year spell as owner.

In a statement, the League Two club said: “The deal, which leaves the club and stadium group debt-free, has now been ratified by all parties following clearance from the EFL.”

The new ownership group is led by the Kuwaiti businessman Fahad Al Ghanim, who has worked in banking, investment, automotive and real estate and whose family are the owners of Kuwaiti Premier League club Kuwait SC.

Controversial move

Winkelman oversaw Wimbledon FC’s controversial move from London to Milton Keynes and renaming of the club to MK Dons in 2004. Under his ownership, the team were promoted up to the EFL Championship before an eventual return to League Two.

The club statement added: “Winkelman’s decision has not been taken lightly and is led by a desire to see MK Dons compete at the very highest level of English football, while also ensuring both the football and stadium assets remain together.”

Venezia FC unveil Nocta as new kit sponsor as Drake investment confirmed

Venezia FC have announced that Nocta, the luxury clothing brand created by Nike and Canadian rapper Drake, has become the newly promoted Serie A club’s new kit supplier.

The deal, which ends a three-year partnership with Kappa, comes after it emerged that Drake helped raise financing that secured the club’s future.

On 1st July, Venezia announced an injection of capital from existing and new investors, including the sports investment firm APEX, Swiss-based asset manager Chiron Sports Group, and Elliott Hill, a former senior executive at Nike.

Commercial strategy

A statement from APEX yesterday confirmed that Drake is also part of the group of new investors, adding that the singer’s agency DrewCrew “will be closely involved in the club’s commercial, e-commerce and merchandise strategy, assuring a crossover between culture and sports.”

Venezia FC brand manager Fabrizia Monteleone said: “One of Venezia FC’s goals is to harness the global popularity of football and to bring international attention to one of the world’s most culturally significant cities.”

Corinthians ex-director warns organised crime threatens club

Former Corinthians director Rubens Gomes has said that organised crime poses a significant danger to the club after police interviewed him over the collapse of the Brazilian side’s partnership with the betting firm Vaidebet.

Gomes told Globo: “He [the delegate] asked questions about VaideBet, if there was an intermediary. I said no, confirmed by [Alex] Cassundé that there was no intermediary. VaideBet, Augusto [Melo – club president], Sérgio Moura and Marcelinho are still in the spotlight.”

He added: “My biggest concern is organised crime taking hold at Corinthians. Corinthians is a family club and we need to be careful about that. An institution is above all, above any vanity. If the Board doesn’t remove Augusto, justice will remove him.”

Alleged corruption by third party

VaideBet terminated its contract with Corinthians in June, just six months after the sponsorship deal was agreed, amid a police investigation into alleged corruption by a third party.

The agreement, which was a record for Brazilian football at the time, was reported to be worth R$370 million (US$69.1 million) over three years. It was alleged that a third-party organisation, linked to an intermediary between both the club and company, had illegally profited from the contract.

The American businessman John Textor, whose multi-club portfolio includes Ligue 1 side Lyon, has made a new bid to acquire Everton, according to a report from The Guardian.

The terms are believed to be the same as when Textor made an offer on 1st June in the previous round of bidding. The fresh bid comes after Dan Friedkin, the US billionaire owner of AS Roma, withdrew from a takeover deal last month after carrying out due diligence.

One complication for Textor’s offer is that he owns 45 per cent of Crystal Palace and would be required to sell those shares to buy Everton, although he is confident his stake in the South London club is much sought after.

Talks with Premier League club

Textor, who paid £87.5 million for a 40 per cent stake in Palace in 2021 before extending it to around 45 per cent when he bought Lyon a year later, is understood to have held talks with another Premier League club and one in the EFL Championship over a potential takeover in recent weeks.

The American is thought to be keen to make a profit on his Palace investment. It is understood that could rule out his compatriots Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own 18 per cent stakes in Palace but are believed to have offered Textor the amount he paid for his shares.

Bayern Munich chief Uli Hoeness joins calls for action against FIFA and UEFA over calendar

Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has added to the pressure on FIFA and UEFA over concerns about fixture congestion and its impact on player welfare after saying the German giants and other clubs must act soon to stop more competitions being added to the calendar.

Speaking to reporters at a promotional event, Hoeness said: "Enough is enough. This cannot continue like this. We have to stop the accumulation of competitions. Big clubs like Real Madrid think the same as us, they have the same concerns.

“At some point, we have to set limits. What some FIFA and UEFA officials are planning is madness. Interest in football will decrease if you have matches every three days."

Legal action

Last month, the European Leagues and global players' union FIFPro announced that they are launching legal action against FIFA over what they allege is abuse of a dominant position in relation to the international calendar.

FIFA responded strongly to the move, accusing some leagues of "hypocrisy" by sending their players on global pre-season tours. The global governing body has also denied failing to consult over recent changes to the calendar, such as the introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup.

Serie A clubs reduced their combined losses to €864 million in the 2022/23 financial year, down 37 per cent from €1.4 billion in 2021/22, according to the latest financial report from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

The aggregate deficit was eased thanks to record total revenues of €3.5 billion, up 16 per cent on the €3 billion earned the previous year. The 2022/23 figure beat the previous highest amount of €3.4 billion generated in 2018/19.

The report highlighted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the combined losses of Italian top-flight teams amounting to €4.5 billion in the four-year period from 2019/20 to 2022/23. The total losses were €881 million in 2019/20 and almost €1.4 billion in 2020/21.

Cumulative losses of €8.5 billion in last 16 years

The analysis showed that in the 16 years from 2007/08 to 2022/23 cumulative losses reached around €8.5 billion. Clubs’ aggregate revenues grew by almost €2 billion, but costs rose to a greater extent, increasing by €2.4 billion.

The study also noted that clubs’ combined debts doubled over the same period, growing from €2.4 billion in 2007/08 to €4.8 billion in 2022/23.

Serie B relaunch domestic broadcast rights offering amid blackout fears

With just over a week to go until the start of the new season, Serie B has re-launched its domestic broadcast rights invitation to tender (ITT) amid growing fears of a blackout.

As reported by Italian media, the unprecedented move comes after the rights offering for the next three-year cycle was revamped in June, with a new sales strategy based on product rather than broadcast platform.

With the same approach, the reserve price per broadcaster has now been lowered to €13 million per season. In a statement, the league said the new ITT reflects the “numerous discussions held in recent weeks and the observations expressed by broadcasters”.

Amazon possible international partner

Serie B added that it has decided to “start a project to be structured together with an important international partner”, named by La Gazzetta dello Sport as Amazon Prime. It is understood the platform could acquire the rights at no initial cost but provide the league with a percentage of revenue from each user per game.

Serie B also indicated it was considering a possible launch of its own TV channel if it fails to conclude any rights deals. The league said it is assessing the “opportunity to start a modern and innovative path to asserts its audiovisual products”.

FC Barcelona are reportedly set to receive a cash injection worth €100 million after striking deals with club sponsors to cover the loss of income from the German investment fund Libero for a stake in the club’s digital unit Barça Visión.

Libero was due to make a payment of €40 million last October and another €60 million for its shares in Barça Visión but never came up with the money, leading to legal action from both parties.

According to Spanish media, €40 million will be covered immediately by the US company Aramark, as a substitute payment for the 9.8 per cent of shares in Barça Visión that Libero agreed to purchase, followed by a further €60 million in November.

Spotify and Nike back injection

Spotify – which sponsors Barcelona’s team shirts and holds the naming rights to the Camp Nou stadium – and Nike, the club’s kit sponsor, are also said to be behind the cash injection.

It is understood the development could provide the Catalan giants with a major boost as they look to comply with LaLiga’s spending rules and land top transfer targets this summer.

Red Bull to enter Asia with acquisition of J3 club Omiya Ardija

Red Bull has made a further addition to its multi-club ownership portfolio after striking an agreement to acquire the Japanese third division side Omiya Ardija.

The deal, which has been confirmed by the club in a statement, marks Red Bull’s first acquisition of a football team in Asia and will be the first time a foreign company has taken sole ownership of a Japanese club.

Red Bull – which already owns RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, RB Bragantino, RB Brasil, and New York Red Bulls – have agreed to acquire all the shares in Omiya Ardija from telecoms operator Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East, with the share transfer scheduled for next month.

Team name

According to Japanese media reports, options are being discussed to reflect the new ownership in the team's name, such as RB Omiya Ardija or Omiya RB Ardija.

However, the club, which is based in Saitama prefecture, which borders Tokyo to the north, said Red Bull has committed to show "continuity and development" by respecting the team name and club colours.

Manchester United opt not to demolish Old Trafford even if new stadium is built

Manchester United will not demolish Old Trafford even if they go ahead with plans to build a new 100,000-capacity stadium adjacent to the current ground, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph.

It is understood that United’s home of 114 years would be preserved in a scaled-down form, with the capacity reduced from 74,000 to around 30,000 and used as a venue for women’s and academy team matches.

Repurposing Old Trafford would ensure United preserved a cornerstone of their history, and officials are said to be reluctant to bulldoze the ground as they are conscious of how emotive an issue it is for fans.

Fan experience

The Old Trafford regeneration task force initially concluded that a new build rather than redevelopment would be the best way to truly transform the fan experience and surrounding area.

A new stadium could cost more than £2 billion and take six years to complete. A final decision is not expected until December, following full consultation with supporters.

Monza attract new takeover interest from American group

Fresh speculation has emerged over a potential takeover of Monza, with Milano Finanza reporting that a group of American entrepreneurs are interested in acquiring a majority stake in the Serie A club.

According to the report, no official negotiations have yet taken place, but it is understood the Texas-based consortium have begun dialogue with current owner Fininvest and are assessing the prospect of a possible agreement.

News of the US group’s interest follows reports earlier this week suggesting that the Olympiakos and Nottingham Forest owner Evángelos Marinákis could also be eyeing a takeover following previous interest from the Greek businessman in a minority stake.

Orienta talks abandoned

Back in May, negotiations over a takeover of Monza by the Italy-based holding company Orienta Capital Partners were abandoned, reportedly due to significant differences over the structure of the agreement.

The final proposal was believed to be for Orienta to acquire 70 per cent of the club for €70 million, leaving the remaining 30 per cent to Fininvest – a holding company set up by the ex-AC Milan owner and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who died in June 2023.