Joint DFL managing director and Eintracht Frankfurt vice-chairman Axel Hellmann has warned that the Bundesliga risks being left behind other major European leagues unless major reforms are carried out.

In comments reported by Kicker, Hellmann said the game in the country must adapt quickly to the changing financial landscape in some of the other ‘big five’ leagues.

"While previously it was isolated clubs that were financed from outside, this is becoming the rule in certain leagues,” he said. “And this puts pressure on global player markets, but also on global media markets.”

He added: "We won't be able to compete economically with the Premier League. Our task must be to be faster and more creative. That's the sporting side. The keyword is competitiveness.”

Serious questions

Hellmann, who took up his interim position at Germany's football governing body last month following the resignation of CEO Donata Hopfen, went on to say that all decision-makers in German football need to ask some serious questions in the face of the challenges.

"What is our way? What are the fundamental decisions we have to make?" he said.

"The solution cannot be to lie on your back like a beetle. It requires active action and decisiveness, as well as courage and determination, because maybe not everything will work out."

Hellmann was speaking after his fellow joint managing director at the DFL, Oliver Leki, earlier this week claimed that clarity over the future of the Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ ownership rule is drawing near.
 

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish ‘in fall-out with John Textor’

Crystal Palace’s chairman, Steve Parish, and the club’s biggest investor, John Textor, have fallen out following the American businessman’s takeover of Lyon last month, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper understands the pair have barely been on speaking terms in the weeks since Textor added the French club to his portfolio, despite the American increasing his stake in Palace to more than 40 per cent when he completed his takeover of the Ligue 1 club.

Textor is believed to have been left extremely disappointed by significant delays he faced in completing the deal for Lyon after Parish initially refused to allow him to switch his shares in Palace to his holding company Eagle Football.

That was required for the Premier League to approve his takeover, and it is believed that in exchange for the approval Textor agreed to pay £20 million for an unknown number of new shares that took his holding in Palace beyond 40 per cent.

More ambition

It is also understood that Textor has grown frustrated at Parish’s hands-on approach and would like the Premier League club to show more ambition in the transfer market.

Parish is believed to have met Textor on Thursday for the first time in weeks to discuss potential transfer targets.
 

Fox executives conspired to bribe FIFA officials over TV rights, says US witness

An American witness in a corruption trial over global football broadcast rights has detailed how he and two former Fox executives bribed FIFA officials, The Guardian reports.

The US government’s star witness in the trial, Alejandro Burzaco, alleges that he and former Fox executives Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez conspired to bribe South American football officials for the TV rights to the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA World Cup.

“The bribes fulfilled that purpose extremely well,” Burzaco testified.

During his first day on the witness stand on Wednesday, Burazco told the court about the sham contracts that were set up with football officials to funnel the bribes.

Fox has denied any involvement in the bribery scandal and is not a defendant in the case.

Tangled corruption scandal

The trial in New York is the latest development in a tangled corruption scandal that dates back nearly a decade and has ensnared more than three dozen football executives and associates.

FIFA has said it was not involved in any fraud or conspiracies and was a mere bystander as the scandal unfolded.
 

Cardiff City tried to insure Sala for £20 million day after his death, say court papers

Cardiff City tried to take out £20 million insurance on Argentine striker Emiliano Sala the day after he was killed in a plane crash, according to BBC.

However, in a statement, the club hit out at media reports of the case and denied they made any efforts to insure Sala after his death.

“There has been selective reporting today of the defence filed against the claim the Club has brought against its insurance brokers for doing their job negligently,” Cardiff said.

“The Club did not try to insure Emiliano after the plane crash. All Cardiff City Football Club staff understood from its broker that all players were insured from the moment they were signed, and the case arises from learning they were not.

“It will reply to the allegations made in the defence that are untrue, or portrayed out of context, in the court proceedings and will not litigate this case in the media.”

Sala's plane crashed into the English Channel on 21st January 2019, killing the striker and pilot David Ibbotson. A company of insurance brokers said the club failed to get cover before Sala's plane went down.

Sala was on a private flight from Nantes as he travelled to take up his new role with the club then in the Premier League.

Suing insurance broker

Cardiff are seeking damages of more than £10 million from insurance brokers following the death. But the club have been unable to claim back the money paid for Sala after insurers refused to pay out.

Cardiff are suing insurance broker Miller Insurance LLP, claiming it owes more than £10 million in the High Court bid.

Cardiff, represented by David Phillips KC, added that it expects to file a reply "soon" to the High Court.

Deloitte Football Money League: Eleven of top 20 clubs from Premier League

For the first time, more than half of the highest revenue generating clubs in world football were from the UK during the 2021/22 financial year, the latest edition of the Deloitte Football Money League has found.

In all, eleven of the top 20 clubs listed were from the English Premier League. Manchester City retained their position at the top with revenue of €731 million, ahead of Real Madrid, who earned €713.8 million.

Liverpool climbed four spots to be ranked third with revenue of €701.7 million. Manchester United were fourth with €688.6 million and Paris Saint-Germain pulled in €654.2 million to complete the top five.

The other Premier League clubs in the top 20 were Chelsea in 8th, Tottenham Hotspur (9th), Arsenal (10th), West Ham United (15th), Leicester City (17th), Leeds United (18th), Everton (19th) and Newcastle Untied (20th).

Pre-pandemic level

The total income for the top 20 revenue generating clubs in 2021/22 stood at €9.2 billion, up 13 per cent on the €8.2 billion reported by the Money League clubs of 2020/21, and only marginally lower than the pre-pandemic level, also of €9.2 billion in 2018/19.

Deloitte said the rise was driven by the return of fans after two Covid-hit seasons, with matchday revenue increasing from €111 million in 2020/21 to €1.4 billion in 2021/22.

Additionally, cumulative commercial revenue rose by 8 per cent to €3.8 billion, which was primarily facilitated by English clubs, who also benefitted from the movement in exchange rates over the financial year.
 

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men, has confirmed that he is officially in the running to purchase Manchester United, The Times reports.

“We have formally put ourselves into the process,” a spokesman for the billionaire’s chemicals company Ineos said, making Ratcliffe the first to publicly confirm his interest in acquiring the Old Trafford club.

Parties have to register their interest with Raine Group, the merchant bank running the sale for United’s current owners the Glazer family, and bids are also expected from the US, Middle East and Asia.

Mid-February deadline

It is anticipated that formal bids will start to be made next month, with the club reported to be inviting formal takeover offers with a mid-February deadline.

The Glazers announced in November they were seeking outside investment, which could include a sale, and have set a price tag of £5 billion for a takeover of the club.
 

Udinese deny media report about takeover by American investors

Udinese have denied an Italian media report which said a group of American investors are set to take over the club in July and replace the Pozzo family after 37 years of ownership.

The Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport claimed an agreement had been reached to sell the Serie A club to a group including 890 Fifth Avenue Partners and Group Nine Acquisition Corp., which is a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

“Udinese has been sold to an American fund and on 1st July there will be the handover,” the report stated.

“Strongly refutes”

However, the club swiftly released a statement, which read: “In regard to the article published on Tuesday morning in Tuttosport, Udinese Calcio strongly refutes the content in the article and is astonished to see the publication of such news stories which are totally devoid of any truth.”

The Pozzo family sold off shares in both Udinese and Watford last October. The Italian club is valued at around US$200 million and was purchased by Giampaolo Pozzo in 1986.
 

DFL managing director: Future of ‘50+1’ ownership rule set to be clear in coming weeks

DFL managing director: Future of ‘50+1’ ownership rule set to be clear in coming weeks

Oliver Leki, joint managing director of Germany's football governing body the Deutsche Fussball Liga (DFL), has claimed that clarity over the future of the Bundesliga’s ‘50+1’ ownership rule is drawing near.

The DFL has been in discussions with Bundeskartellamt, Germany’s federal competition authority, over the rule, as part of an ongoing investigation by the cartel office.

Bayer Leverkusen, VfL Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim are all currently exempt from the rule due to having investors who have substantially funded the club for a continuous period of 20 years, allowing them to own a controlling stake.

Grants protection

A compromise that grants those clubs protection and at the same time keeps the 50+1 rule alive has been desperately sought, and Kicker reports that Leki believes the situation can be resolved over the coming weeks.

"The topic has been open for far too long," he said. "I would be quite confident that it can be possible to find a solution in the first quarter. We are very far advanced in the talks, and we worked intensively on the topic again before Christmas."
 

FFF president Noël Le Graët investigated over alleged harassment

The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into alleged moral and sexual harassment against French Football Federation (FFF) president Noël Le Graët.

The FFF said last week that Le Graët was “taking a step back” from his duties, with Philippe Diallo acting as interim president.

“In response to a report from the IGESR (General Inspection of Education, Sport and Research) on 13 January 2023, an investigation was opened yesterday into charges of moral harassment and sexual harassment,” the prosecutor’s office told Reuters.

In a statement sent to the news agency AFP by his lawyers, Le Graët has denied any wrongdoing.

Defamation lawsuit

Last September the French sports ministry ordered an audit of the FFF after the federation said it would file a defamation lawsuit against So Foot magazine, which reported that Le Graët allegedly harassed several female employees.

Earlier this month Le Graët was forced to apologise for comments he made about French football icon Zinedine Zidane, and he also faced accusations of sexual harassment by the football agent Sonia Souid, which Le Graët has denied.
 

Everton investment hopes dented as Maciek Kaminski steps back from talks

Everton’s hopes of securing vital investment into the club or a full takeover have been dealt a blow after Maciek Kaminski stepped back from talks with owner Farhad Moshiri, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Kaminski, an American/Polish real estate tycoon, made a bid to take full control of Everton last June and was granted a period of exclusivity that eventually expired.

He remained in talks with Moshiri over the prospect of taking full control or investing heavily into the club, but The Telegraph understands there has been no contact between the pair since the World Cup.

Portfolio of sports franchises

Kaminski bought Greek club Panetolikos in December and his plan has always been to acquire a portfolio of sports franchises and media.

However, interest in Everton now appears to have cooled with Kaminski not holding any talks with Moshiri since before the World Cup and little sign currently of negotiations being rekindled.
 

Sampdoria president: Only new owners can secure club’s future

Sampdoria president Marco Lanna has warned that only a change of ownership can secure the club’s immediate future as concerns grow about its financial plight.

In comments reported by Italian media, Lanna said: “The moment is difficult, we only get out of it if someone comes along and will give us a hand.”

On 16th February, Sampdoria, along with all Italian clubs, will be required to pay the salaries of their players and for the moment that money is not available to the board of directors, according to the report.

Lanna added: “At the moment we can no longer go on with our own strength. External financial support is no longer enough. There is absolutely a need for a change of ownership. I hope it can arrive in the next few days. I don't see the situation very long.”

Merlyn Partners deal

Alessandro Barnaba, CEO of the investment fund Merlyn Partners, has indicated it would still be willing to strike a takeover deal with Sampdoria after withdrawing its original offer late last month.

It was reported that key stumbling blocks emerged around the funding of the capital increase and the potential presence of former president Massimo Ferrero as a minority shareholder.

Then earlier this month Sampdoria were said to be close to agreeing a loan deal with Banca Sistema backed by the American asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management.

It was hoped an agreement would provide the club with the required €35 million capital increase in exchange for 99 per cent of the share capital as collateral. However, there has been no sign of progress towards concluding the deal.

The prospect of new owners taking over at Manchester United has moved a step closer, with bids set to be tabled over the coming weeks, while options for a revamp of Old Trafford have been presented.

The club is set to invite formal takeover offers by a mid-February deadline after receiving serious interest from the Middle East, Asia and America, according to The Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper understands that British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is also continuing to monitor the situation closely and, while an offer from the Ineos chairman is still expected, formal talks are yet to begin.

Sources told The Telegraph that other candidates who expressed appetite to buy Chelsea last year have also returned with approaches. The report said that over the coming weeks, potential investors from around the world will go public with their attempts to buy the sporting giant.

Current owners the Glazer family announced in November they were seeking outside investment, which could include a sale, and have set a price tag of £5 billion for a takeover of the club.

Stadium options

Meanwhile, The Daily Mail has reported that United have been presented with a raft of stadium expansion options – which include the demolition of Old Trafford and building of a brand new home.

According to the newspaper, consultants Legends International and Populous –who were responsible for Tottenham Hotspur’s new home – have now completed their initial assessments and planning after being appointed last April by the United hierarchy.

Late last year club officials were presented with plans including a refurbishment of Old Trafford, which could cost more than £1 billion, and a new home, which would most likely be built on club-owned land surrounding the existing stadium and could cost close to £2 billion.

However, the situation is now effectively on hold, with any expansion likely to be decided on by new owners.

FC Barcelona sue LaLiga over refusal of 15 per cent salary cap increase

FC Barcelona are suing LaLiga over its refusal to allow them to increase their salary cap by 15 per cent – a benefit enjoyed by teams who signed up to the CVC investment deal, Spanish news agency EFE reports.

The Catalan giants, along with Real Madrid, Athletic Club and second-tier Ibiza, voted against the €2 billion agreement with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners back in December 2021.

The other 38 clubs across LaLiga's two divisions were handed a 15 per cent increase in their league-imposed squad spending limits, as well as being permitted to invest at least 70 per cent of the funds in infrastructure and modernisation.

Clubs can also use 15 per cent of their cash influx to reduce debt. In return, CVC received 11 per cent of LaLiga's TV rights revenue over the next 50 years.

Excluded from agreement

Barcelona's opposition to the CVC deal meant they were excluded from the terms of the agreement, missing out on the cash injection from the deal but retaining their share of TV rights income.

Barça are now said to have launched legal action, filing a complaint with a Barcelona court, alleging that LaLiga's failure to increase their salary cap by the same margin as other clubs means they cannot compete equally with those teams.

Apple TV set to enter bidding war for Premier League domestic rights

Apple TV is preparing a bid for the next set of Premier League domestic broadcast rights, according to The Daily Mail.

The tech giant is looking to increase its live football coverage as its 10-year contract to broadcast Major League Soccer begins next month.

The American firm has already dipped its toe into the Premier League market by making a documentary about the European Super League, called The War for Football, which was released last week.

The Premier League’s current three-year deal with Sky Sports and BT Sport expires in 2025, with the tender process for the next set of rights due to begin later this year.

American owners

Many clubs with American owners, such as Chelsea under Todd Boehly, are convinced that at £5.1 billion over three years the current rights are undervalued and are looking to US tech companies to drive up the price.

Given its financial clout, a serious bid from Apple would pose the biggest threat to Sky Sports’ dominance of Premier League coverage since it gained exclusive rights to the competition in 1992.

China's reopened borders raise hopes of a resurgence for football

Chinese football could be poised for a recovery as the country reopens its borders and economy to the outside world, The Washington Post reports.

It is understood that Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs will play home and away games in the 2023 season, raising hopes of a possible return back to pre-pandemic levels.

Football in the country has suffered from three years of isolation and financial struggles amid the pandemic and the government’s zero-Covid policy.

Back in 2019, the last season before Covid-19 hit, the CSL had an average attendance of over 24,000, the highest in Asia, and a number of big-name foreign imports.

Empty stadiums

However, from 2020 onwards, teams have mostly played in empty stadiums at centralised venues, with players stuck in bio-secure bubbles for months at a time.

International stars, unable to enter the country, were released from contracts, and clubs have had little ticket, broadcast or sponsorship revenue. In 2021, defending champion Jiangsu FC folded and several other clubs have struggled to pay players.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has declared himself happy with last month’s Opinion by the European Court of Justice Advocate General (CJEU) on the European Super League case, but said that it was imperative now that lawmakers acted on the advice, reports James Corbett from Brussels.

Tebas said that he would like to see ideas surrounding the so-called European Sports Model enshrined into EU law. A key part of UEFA’s defence of the Super League action was its defence of this idea.

Last month the CJEU Advocate General Athanasios Rantos offered UEFA the prospect of “a comprehensive victory” in the case brought against it by the European Super League should the court follow his guidance when it publishes its full judgement in the spring. On Thursday LaLiga co-hosted an event with Sport and Citizenship titled “Defending the European Football Ecosystem and Tradition”.

“I am hoping the European court will go and improve the opinion that the AG has already given…Regardless of the ruling, we need to demand our European legislators transcribe that into European directives,” he said.

“This risk is going to continue for many years. The big European clubs have been putting pressure on UEFA, the institution that should maintain the competitive balance in Europe. They have ruined it. Let’s not build up a sports model based on 20 clubs and 200 players. This is happening in football – lets maintain the one we have, defend it. If not 15. March [the date Tebas expects a full judgement] will just be another phase in this battle.

House burglars

Tebas likened the instigators of the Super League to house burglars. “When somebody breaks into your home and tries to steal something belonging to you I’ll go at them with a walking stick or whatever and bash them. “This is what they’re doing, they’re stealing from us.” Senior legal sources subsequently told Off The Pitch that they did not expect a full judgement until May or June.

Today (Friday) A22, the strategy company supporting the European Super League, with their lawyers, Clifford Chance, co-host their own event in Brussels titled “The Future of Sport Governance in Europe – The Times: They Are a Changing.”
 

Sports broadcaster questions Super League’s financial benefits

One of Europe’s leading sports broadcasters says that there would be no additional financial benefit derived from a Super League-type competition, reports James Corbett, Senior Correspondent at Off The Pitch from Brussels. “The value of sports rights are capped by the willingness and ability of consumers to pay for it. There isn’t some great pot of money waiting to flood the market.” said Marc Watson, CEO and founder of Eleven Sport.

“If one property is taking money out of the market, other properties lose out. In this case it would be domestic football.” The OTT broadcaster, which shows 100,000 games a year globally, was last year bought out by DAZN. Watson was speaking at an event co-hosted in Brussels by LaLiga and Sport and Citizenship. He said that the untapped financial benefits from sports broadcasting were platform and regulator based.

Criminalising piracy is biggest driver for revenue

“There’s a great opportunity to revolutionise the internet to provide a platform that really uses its power to bring in extra revenue and add value. But that’s on our side. More needs to be done to combat and criminalise piracy, by leagues, clubs and governments. More than anything else this will drive more revenue,” he said.

Watson gave the example of Italy, where a recent high profile shut down of pirate operators had a major impact. “Immediately we saw an increase in revenues. “[Revenues] don’t just grow because you introduce a new competition. There’s a value in scarcity and big clubs playing each other only occasionally. The current ecosystem is quite effective and clubs quite like it.”
 

Bournemouth owner Bill Foley closing in on deal for 33 per cent stake in Lorient

Bournemouth’s new owner Bill Foley is concluding an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ligue 1 club Lorient, The Daily Mail reports.

The American businessman was spotted in France on Wednesday, where he was finalising the deal, with an announcement expected in the coming days.

Foley is understood to be taking an initial 33 per cent stake with a view to eventually completing a full takeover. Lorient, based in Brittany, are currently sixth in the French top-flight.

The American is aiming to set up a multi-club group and is also said to be looking at another side in Belgium as well as a club in South America.

£120 million deal

Foley formally took over at the Vitality Stadium last month in a deal thought to be worth around £120 million.

The new ownership structure includes a group led by award-winning actor, director and producer Michael B. Jordan and Nullah Sarker.
 

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri set to face pressure from large fan protest

The pressure on Everton owner Farhad Moshiri is set to intensify over the weekend after an influential fan group announced that supporters will be holding a demonstration against his running of the club.

In a statement, NSNow said that immediately after the Premier League match against Southampton at Goodison Park on Saturday, fans will join in a large-scale “sit in”.

The group said the action is intended to highlight Moshiri’s “failure to change and strengthen chair, board and executive positions at the club.” It added that the sit-in will “feature numerous crowd-funded banners calling for change.”

The move comes with Everton third from bottom in the English top-flight following a string of poor results, and amid growing frustration among fans about issues such as player recruitment and the state of the club’s finances.

Fans’ Forum letter

The announcement of the protest follows a letter from the Everton Fans’ Forum in which they also highlighted deep concerns about the direction of the club.
Moshiri issued a response to the letter via the club’s website, in which he defended his ownership and the club’s senior staff.

“I have faith in the work being done not only by our manager, but our director of football and our board of directors,” he said. “I am confident that we have skilled, experienced and focused professionals at all levels of the club.”

The French Football Federation (FFF) has said that its president Noël Le Graëtis “taking a step back” from his duties and has named vice president Philippe Diallo as acting interim chairman.

In a statement issued after an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee on Wedensday, the FFF said:

"Noël Le Graët, in agreement with the FFF Executive Committee meeting in Paris today, has decided to take a step back from his duties as president of the federation until the audit commissioned by the Ministry of Sports has been definitively communicated, and pending its analysis by the FFF's Executive Committee.”

Comments about Zidane

The decision comes after Le Graët was forced to apologise for comments he made about French football icon Zinedine Zidane, and after accusations of sexual harassment, which Le Graët has denied.

He was also criticised for extending France coach Didier Deschamps's contract until 2026, two years after his term at the head of the FFF expires. The FFF said Deschamps's contract was validated by the executive committee on Wednesday.

The federation added that general director Florence Hardouin was also “provisionally suspended”, with Diallo also taking charge of her role on an interim basis.

Manchester United stakeholder Ariel sells shares as price soars

Chicago-based Ariel Investments sold nearly 3 million shares –26 per cent of its stake – in Manchester United during the fourth quarter, it has emerged.

The development was revealed in an SEC filing by the Old Trafford club on Tuesday.

Ariel had been the largest institutional holder of United at the end of September, with 21 per cent of the common shares outstanding. Lindsell Train is now the biggest.

The news follows the announcement in November by the club’s owners the Glazer family that they would consider a sale of the club.

Huge increase

Meanwhile, a report from The Athletic has detailed how the Glazers’ announcement hugely increased the number of shares being traded on a daily basis.

The statement from the American owners came on 22nd November, when the club’s share price was around $13. By the close of trading that day, the price for each share was nearly $15 and it passed $20 the following day.

Manchester United’s shares closed 2022 at $23, more than double what they were worth last summer when they reached a low of $10.41.

Sampdoria closing in on €35 million loan deal to shore up finances

Sampdoria are close to agreeing a loan deal with Banca Sistema that would secure the club’s immediate future, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The newspaper has reported that the potential deal with the bank, which is being backed by the American asset management firm Oaktree Capital Management, would provide the club with the required €35 million capital increase in exchange for 99 per cent of the share capital as collateral.

Sampdoria would then have between eighteen and twenty-four months to repay the loan, giving more time for the Ferrero family and all other parties involved to find a new buyer for the Serie A club.

The loan transaction could go through before the club’s shareholders' meeting scheduled for 20th January.

Bid withdrawn

Earlier this month, the investment fund Merlyn Partners withdrew its bid to buy Sampdoria, in the latest failed attempt to secure new ownership.

The search for new owners of Sampdoria has been ongoing since former president Massimo Ferrero resigned in December 2021 following his arrest by the Italian law enforcement agency Guardia di Finanza as part of an investigation into corporate crimes and bankruptcy.

Ferrero, who had owned the club since 2014, was told in December via his lawyers that he can now take up any role at any club, including Sampdoria, following the expiring of his disqualification from holding corporate positions.

Del Nido wants successor in Sevilla FC to accept retreat or face legal action

Jose Del Nido, the former Sevilla FC President and one of clubs’ largest shareholders, is reaching out to the current President, José Castro, in order to agree on a peaceful retreat.

Otherwise Del Nido will intensify legal proceedings against his former friend and Vice President, a step that he is confident will force himself back into the Presidency of the club.

At a press conference Del Nido said that if the possibility arises for a constructive dialogue, which he is seeking, “…I am willing to reach an agreement with Pepe Castro in ten minutes to fix the situation in which we find ourselves, because he knows that the board of directors has been terminated by the General Shareholders' Meeting”.

Annual report and accounts denied approval

Two weeks ago the AGM at the club rejected to approve the board of directors, the annual report and the accountants.

Center of the legal battle is the “Stability Pact” between a handful of the biggest local shareholders. The disagreement is about whether or not Del Nido were able to vote on the General Shareholders Meeting because he is part of the “Stability Pact”.

Del Nido is aiming for the Presidency of the club, which he – again – made very clear on the press conference. He is backed by votes from local shareholders and 777 Partners, the American investment firm who has ownership of five clubs globally.

English Football League (EFL) chairman Rick Parry has warned MPs of a “gathering existential crisis” unless the Premier League agrees to a new financial distribution model soon.

Writing in The Times ahead of a meeting on Tuesday, Parry said he would tell MPs from constituencies containing EFL clubs that it will be too late to wait for an independent regulator to force through a settlement.

He noted that such a move could be two-and-a-half years away, by which time “a substantial proportion of clubs” could be insolvent.

The leaders of the EFL, Premier League and FA held the first face-to-face talks last week on the proposed ‘New Deal For Football’, which would constitute the biggest shake-up of English football for 30 years, but any agreement appears to be a long way off.

“Once-in-a-generation opportunity”

In his article in The Times, Parry wrote: “The forthcoming White Paper and the legislation that will follow on from it will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect our nation’s football clubs and our communities from a gathering existential crisis.

“If we don’t address the redistribution issue properly, the regulator will very quickly discover that a substantial proportion of clubs are insolvent. What then? Are they left unlicensed and unable to play? I don’t envy the regulator who has to face up to that challenge.”
 

FFF president Noël Le Graët faces call to step down and agent accusations

Pressure is growing on Noël Le Graët after new developments surrounding the France Football Federation (FFF) president emerged on Tuesday.

Patrick Anton, who heads up the FFF’s National Ethics Council (CNE), called for Le Graët to step down after questioning his leadership.

In comments reported by L’Equipe, Anton said: “We need a power that is strong and serene, which unfortunately is no longer the case.”

Anton’s comments followed remarks made by Le Graët about French football icon Zinedine Zidane and the prospect of him becoming the head coach of France’s national team, for which Le Graët later apologised.

According to L’Equipe, an extraordinary meeting of the FFF executive committee will now meet on Wednesday morning, at the initiative of Le Graët.

Sonia Souid accusations

L’Equipe also revealed that the president has come under further pressure following accusations made by the player agent Sonia Souid.

In an extensive interview with the French newspaper, she claimed that Le Graët repeatedly tried to approach her from 2013-17. “He made me understand that he would like me to end up in his bed,” she said.
 

CONMEBOL to increase prize money distribution by 23 per cent in 2023

The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) has outlined plans for large increases in payments to clubs across its competitions in 2023.

In a statement, CONMEBOL said it will distribute around US$301 million across its club tournaments, 23 per cent higher than in 2022.
In the CONMEBOL Libertadores, the prize money on offer will be US$207.8 million, up 21 per cent on last year, while in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana US$77.8 million will be issued, an increase of 30 per cent.

CONMEBOL will also award an additional US$300,000 per match won in the group stage in the CONMEBOL Libertadores, and US$100,000 for each victory at the same sage in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana.

This means that $124.8 million could be distributed during the Libertadores group stage, a rise of 30 per cent from last year. In the event that they win all their group stage matches, the Libertadores champion could secure $29.55 million, up by 18 per cent from 2022.

Third highest paying tournament

Conmebol said that as a result of the increases – which have come as it enters the first year of a new broadcast rights cycle – the Libertadores is now the third highest paying club tournament in world football.

However, the Copa Libertadores Femenina will see the biggest prize money increase, with the total purse of $3.35 million 68 per cent higher than in 2022.
 

Report: PSG’s €728 million wage bill for 2021/22 a record high in football

Paris Saint-Germain posted the highest wage bill ever reported by a football club in the 2021/22 financial year, according to the Football Benchmark 2023 European Champions Report.

The Ligue 1 winners spent €728 million on personnel costs during the year, up 45 per cent on 2020/21, the analysis shows. The skyrocketing costs led also to a record net loss for PSG of €369 million.

The higher wage bill came after PSG signed Lionel Messi, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and others at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Real Madrid outlay

The Football Benchmark report noted that LaLiga winners Real Madrid were another champion that saw large increases in their staff costs’ outlay during the year, rising 29 per cent to €519 million.

This was mostly due to contract renewals of key players and bonuses paid out for winning the Champions League.

“Unsurprisingly, both PSG and Madrid have witnessed a worsening of their staff costs-to-revenue ratio, up to 109 per cent and 73 per cent respectively, while all the other six domestic title holders managed to decrease their ratios,” the report said.

Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the owners of Paris Saint-Germain, have held talks with Tottenham Hotspur over acquiring a minority stake in the club, according to CBS Sports.

The network has claimed that QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi met with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy last week in London for exploratory talks.

Sources said "possible investment" was discussed and that Al-Khelaifi – who is also chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) – was acting solely in a QSI, not ECA capacity.

Multi-club model

QSI remain fully committed to PSG and want to add to their multi-club model in order to compete with the City Football Group and other ambitious European owners.

PSG already own a 23 per cent stake in Portuguese side Braga but are looking for another club in Europe for a minority stake. QSI are said to be targeting investment in a Premier League club in 2023, with South America another priority region this year.

Benfica under investigation over match-fixing allegations

Benfica have appeared in court as part of an investigation into match-fixing allegations during the period 2016 to 2020, with all of the club's board members from that time and thereafter embroiled in the case.

The investigation is said to stem from prosecutors' access to emails, with Benfica accused of benefitting from several fraudulent results in the period concerned.

Club president Rui Costa, who was initially appointed vice-president for the 2020-24 quadrennial before taking the helm, is among those of the club's hierarchy currently under investigation.

Benfica confirm reports

The case was revealed in the Portuguese media before Benfica confirmed the reports in a statement, which read:

“Taking into account the news made public today, Sport Lisboa e Benfica – Futebol SAD confirms that it appeared in court on January 3, as well as, among others, the members of the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2020 and who are currently in office.

“Benfica SAD will not comment further as the trial is under legal secrecy. Benfica expresses its total willingness to collaborate with the competent authorities, as has always happened up to now.”

FFF president apologises for comments about Zidane

France Football Federation (FFF) president Noël Le Graët has apologised to Zinedine Zidane for his comments about the former Real Madrid coach.

Zidane was one of the favourites to take charge of France if Didier Deschamps had stepped down but Deschamps’s contract was extended after he led the team to the World Cup final, where they lost to Argentina in Qatar last month.

When asked whether Zidane, a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and a national icon, would now manage Brazil instead, Le Graët had told French TV channel RMC: “I don’t give a damn, he can go wherever he wants.”

Le Graët added he would not even pick up the phone if Zidane called. His comments drew the ire of players, politicians and even Real Madrid.

In an angry statement, the Spanish club said: “These words are disrespectful to one of the most admired figures by football fans around the world and our club expects an immediate rectification.”

“Awkward remarks”

The furious reaction from Madrid and the French game prompted the apology from Le Graët. In a statement reported by L’Équipe, he said: “I would like to present my personal apologies for these remarks which absolutely do not reflect my thoughts, nor my consideration for the player he was and the coach he has become.

“I admit that I made awkward remarks which created a misunderstanding. Zidane knows the immense esteem I have for him, like all French people.”

Todd Boehly steps down as Chelsea's interim sporting director

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has relinquished his title as the club’s interim sporting director, The Daily Telegraph reports.

Boehly took on the role following the departures of Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech last summer and led transfer negotiations himself.

However, after hiring a new recruitment team, some of whom have started work in this month’s transfer window, Boehly has dropped the sporting director title and is now just Chelsea’s chairman.

New technical director

The bulk of the responsibility of Chelsea’s transfers has been handed to new technical director Christopher Vivell and Paul Winstanley, who was appointed as director of global talent and transfers.

The pair will be officially joined by Joe Shields, who has been appointed as co-director of recruitment and talent, and Laurence Stewart, who has been given the title of technical director to focus on football globally, when they start work next month.

Boehly only ever saw his interim sporting director position as a short-term role to help get Chelsea through the summer window and to plug a gap while he and Eghbali searched for the right recruitment specialists.

The new FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) will come into force today, 9th January, following their approval by the FIFA Council last month.

They include the introduction of a cap on agent fees, as well as a mandatory licensing system and the prohibition of multiple representation to avoid conflicts of interest.

In a statement, FIFA said “the new regulations introduce basic service standards for football agents and their clients”, and claimed they mark “a landmark step towards the establishment of a fairer and more transparent football transfer system.”

The governing body added that the rules have been created “with the objective of reinforcing contractual stability, protecting the integrity of the transfer system and achieving greater financial transparency.”

Transition period

While the processes for obtaining a licence under the FFAR will now come into effect, there will be a transition period ahead of the obligation to only use licensed football agents and the cap on agent fees, which will happen on 1st October 2023.

FIFA stressed that the regulations have been introduced “following a very robust and open consultation process carried out by FIFA since 2018 and involving all key international football stakeholders.”

EFL ‘not hopeful’ of achieving financial settlement with Premier League

The English Football League (EFL) has told its clubs it has “virtually no leverage” to achieve the new financial settlement it is seeking with the Premier League.

The chairs and chief executives of the EFL, Premier League and FA held face-to-face talks last Friday to discuss the ‘New Deal For Football’ package, which if agreed would lead to the biggest governance changes in the English game for 30 years.

However, in a circular sent to EFL clubs last week prior to the meeting – which has been seen by the PA news agency – the league said it is still “not hopeful” of securing the financial distribution settlement it is looking for.

The EFL wants a 25 per cent share of pooled broadcast revenue with the Premier League, merit-based payments across all four divisions and the abolition of parachute payments to clubs relegated from the top-flight.

In the circular, the league also said it wants an independent regulator or the FA to have backstop powers allowing it “to define a fair outcome where there is no agreement.”

Westminster meetings

The EFL is holding a series of regional club and MP meetings at Westminster this week which were originally due to take place towards the end of last year.

The aim of the meetings is to cement cross-party support for implementing the key recommendations of the fan-led review, which included at its core the creation of an independent regulator.

Leeds United takeover by 49ers could face competition from Middle Eastern buyer

The full takeover of Leeds United by the club’s American shareholders could face opposition from a Middle Eastern buyer, according to The Daily Mail.

The American investment vehicle 49ers Enterprises, which is connected to the San Francisco 49ers NFL franchise, already owns 44 per cent of Leeds and an agreement is in place to take full control from January 2024.

That deal is thought to rely on Leeds remaining in the Premier League and is widely viewed, should that be the case, as a formality.

However, sources have told The Daily Mail that an as-yet unnamed third party has shown interest in stealing a march on 49ers Enterprises and taking over at Elland Road.

Interest in “very early” stages

It is unclear at this stage if the group, based in the Middle East, will make a serious bid, and its interest is said to be in the “very early” stages.

While the 49ers Enterprises has shaken hands with owner Andrea Radrizzani on an option thought to be worth more than £400 million, including ownership of Elland Road, there is nothing to stop a third party from entering the race.

Everton owner in talks with Qatar Airways over naming rights deal for new stadium

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has held talks with Qatar Airways about a potential naming rights deal for the club’s new stadium, The Daily Mail reports.

The Merseyside club have been looking for new sponsors since last March after cutting ties with companies linked to Russian investor Alisher Usmanov as he faced sanctions for his close links to Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.

USM Holdings was paying £12 million-a-year in naming rights for the club’s training ground as well as a one-off payment of £30 million for the option to purchase naming rights to the new ground at Bramley-Moore dock.

£500 million venue

The new £500 million venue is due to open for the start of the 2024/25 season.

Moshiri was in Doha during the World Cup and is understood to have held talks with Qatar Airways executives, although an agreement has not been reached.

The six leading figures in the Premier League, FA and EFL will meet in person for the first time on Friday to begin talks on the biggest shake-up of the domestic game for a generation, The Times reports.

Proposals to be discussed include include scrapping FA Cup replays and changing the Carabao Cup so that clubs in European competitions only field junior sides.

Also on the table is the idea of playing the Community Shield abroad and moving it from its traditional position as the curtain-raiser to the season.

The demands are in return for the Premier League sharing more of its money with the lower leagues — the EFL wants an extra £300 million a year but the top-flight clubs have only agreed to about £160 million.

‘A New Deal For Football’ 

The shake-up has been put forward by the Premier League as part of what it calls ‘A New Deal For Football’ that it hopes will reduce fixture congestion from 2024. 

The meeting will involve the new Premier League chairwoman Alison Brittain, who took over this week, with her counterparts at the FA, Debbie Hewitt, and the EFL, Rick Parry. 

Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, will be there along with his opposite numbers, Mark Bullingham at the FA, and the EFL’s Trevor Birch.
 

David Gold death set to accelerate Daniel Kretinsky’s West Ham United takeover

The death of West Ham United’s co-owner David Gold is expected to hasten a full takeover of the club by fellow shareholder Daniel Kretinsky, The Times reports.

Gold, 86, died on Wednesday after a short illness and his 25 per cent shareholding is expected to pass to his family.

Czech billionaire Kretinsky acquired a 27 per cent stake in the club for £150 million in 2021 and last August he appointed his close adviser Jiri Svarc to the board of the club’s holding company.

Gold and fellow co-owner David Sullivan bought 86 per cent of West Ham for a total of £86 million, so the families stand to make a large profit, though they have also loaned money to the club and taken on extra debt.

Should the club be sold to Kretinsky for about £600 million — based on the cost of his initial stake — then the Gold family and Sullivan stand to make a £300 million return on their investments.

£1 million bonus

West Ham’s annual report revealed last week that the club’s vice-chairwoman Baroness Brady received a one-off £1 million bonus on top of her £1.24 million salary for securing Kretinsky’s investment.

The shares owned by Sullivan and the Gold family will almost certainly be retained until March when they will no longer be liable to pay any share of the profits from the sale of the club to the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), which owns the London Stadium.
 

Joan Laporta: FC Barcelona will lose €93 million in matchday revenue at temporary home

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said the club will lose €93 million in matchday income next season due to the temporary move away from the Camp Nou.

The Catalan giants will be playing at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Monjuic in 2023/24 and for the first four months of the following campaign while the Camp Nou undergoes a major revamp.

Speaking to Spanish radio station SER Catalunya, Laporta said Barcelona will make up for the loss of revenue “in other ways” and will look to leverage the Monjuic venue’s association with the Olympic Games, which it hosted in 1992.

Meanwhile, as Barça continue to face restrictions in the transfer market due to their financial difficulties, the club president admitted that the contracts of Spanish midfielder Gavi and Uruguayan centre-back Ronald Araujo will not be renewed in January, and the extensions will instead be registered in the summer.

“Super League can be a reality in 2025”

The Barcelona chief also spoke about the plans for a European Super League, which suffered a hammer blow after last month’s publication of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) advocate general Athanasios Rantos’ opinion that FIFA and UEFA rules were “compatible with EU competition law”. 

A full ECJ judgment will be delivered in the coming months and Laporta insisted the project could still succeed pending the outcome of the ruling.

"If the resolution is favourable, the Super League can be a reality in 2025,” he said. “If it is not favourable, it will depend on how the resolution is that we will decide what the next steps will be. The degree of victory will define the degree of what can be done with the Super League."
 

Premier League and EFL clubs are drawing criticism from addiction campaigners over betting shops opening up at stadiums with club branding, The Daily Telegraph reports.

League One side Sheffield Wednesday were the first to enter into a deal with William Hill to launch stadium ‘Home Shops’, which charities fear will lure in young supporters.

Eight Premier League clubs are said to be following suit, with Aston Villa announcing an “unrivalled in-stadium partnership” with the bookmaker.

Clubs have previously signalled they were open to a voluntary clampdown on betting sponsors on shirts to fend off the threat of legislation.

“Cynical way to attract fans”

Gambling With Lives and the Big Step have warned that allowing new betting shops to carry club liveries can be harmful.

A Gambling With Lives spokesperson said: “We are concerned that this is a cynical way to attract football fans into gambling and that it could be particularly attractive to children who might not know it was separate from their club.”

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge calls on DFB to work more closely with FIFA

Former FC Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has called for closer working relations between the German FA (DFB) and FIFA.

In an interview with German magazine Sport Bild, Rummenigge said the DFB "should reinterpret its role in world football, not separate itself further.”

He added: “By the way, you can discuss with Infantino in a solution-oriented way.”

DFB president Bernd Neuendorf declared shortly before the World Cup in Qatar that he did not want to support FIFA president Gianni Infantino in his re-election next March.

Oliver Kahn role

Rummenigge, who sits as one of five external football experts in the DFB's advisory circle, did not talk about possible successors to DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, who resigned after the World Cup.

However, he was more specific on the question of whether Bayern Munich CEO Oliver Kahn should run for a place in the DFL presidium in the summer as successor to the outgoing Bayern CFO Jan-Christian Dreesen.

Rummenigge thinks it is important that Bayern "plays a strong role in the DFL, ideally with a seat in the presidium," he explained. "Oliver would certainly be the best representative."