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Everton takeover off

The Friedkin group takeover of Everton has collapsed:  https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11671/13180901/everton-takeover-latest-friedkin-group-end-talks-as-toffees-now-explore-alternative-options The American investors had agreed a £500m deal to buy the club from Farhad Moshiri but withdrew on Thursday evening. Friedkin had already paid £200m to help complete the building on Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock but dramatically decided against going through with a transaction that would have seen them purchase the 94% stake currently held by Moshiri’s Blue Heaven Holdings. It was a surprising move and left those involved in the deal shocked. The club and potential investors had entered an exclusivity period spearheaded by the Texan billionaire Dan Friedkin last month that sought to end Moshiri’s long-running attempts to sell up. The British-Iranian businessman had previously agreed a deal with 777 Partners only for that takeover to collapse in May.. It is believed Friedkin
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Threat of financial calamity removed from Baggies

West Bromwich Albion had effectively been in decline ever since the club was sold to a Chinese consortium in August 2016, paying a figure north of £200m to buy former owner Jeremy Peace’s stake. Controlling shareholder Guochuan Lai’s ownership was fairly disastrous for the club, but his unloved tenure finally came to an end after Bilkul Football WBA, a company ultimately owned by Florida-based entrepreneur Shilen Patel and his father Dr Kiran Patel, acquired an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited, the parent company of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. This change in ownership was urgently required, due to the numerous financial problems facing West Brom, including growing high-interest debt and serious cash flow concerns, following years of no investment from the former owner. Indeed, West Brom’s auditors had already rung the alarm bell in the 2021/22 accounts when they cast doubt on the club’s ability to continue as a going concern without making player s

Rea, Madrid is world's top football brand

Real Madrid has reclaimed its title as the world’s most valuable football club brand, surpassing 2023’s winner Manchester City FC.   With its brand value up 16% to EUR 1.7 billion, Real Madrid’s return to the top is driven by record revenue gtowth resulting from continued accomplishments both on and off the pitch. With a brand strength index (BSI) score of 96.3/100, and equivalent AAA+ rating, Real Madrid also remains the world’s strongest football brand. This exceptional score also makes it one of the strongest brands in the world, even stronger than brands such as Google, Coca-Cola, Ferrari, and Rolex, according to Brand Finance. Real Madrid’s status as one of the world’s most recognisable and prestigious football clubs is underscored by its perfect scores across several metrics, including squad investment, stadia, and sponsorships. Behind Real Madrid ,  Manchester City FC  (brand value up 7% to EUR1.6 billion) is the second-most valuable football club brand, having recorded slig

Financial challenges for United's new leadership

Manchester United’s pre-tax loss for the first 9 months of 2023/24 nearly tripled from £31m to £89m, despite revenue increasing by £39m (8%) from £481m to £520m and profit on player sales almost doubling from £16m to £31m. However, this was accompanied by operating expenses rising £79m (16%) to £587m, while net interest payable also increased by £32m from £20m to £52m. This is the third season in a row that Manchester United have reported a pre-tax loss in the first 9 months. Revenues and costs are not evenly phased during the financial year, but it is perhaps worth noting that the previous season’s £31m loss in this period ultimately became a £33m loss, so little change in Q4. It is a little concerning that the £89m loss in the first 9 months is by some distance the club’s worst for many years, up from the previous season’s £31m deficit. This would have been the case even without the £40m of exceptional charges. The revenue growth was driven by the return to the Champions League

Former Derby bidder gets 20 years

Chris Kirchner, who came close to buying two English football clubs, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for fraud. Kirchner, 36, was sentenced at Fort Worth courthouse in Texas and also ordered to pay $65,415,938.12 in restitution. His sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. The fall of Kirchner was sudden and spectacular. His deal to buy English Football League (EFL) club Derby County collapsed in June 2022, just a few months after he walked away from a similar deal to purchase Preston North End, another Championship club. He was previously named as the preferred bidder to take over Derby, who were then being run by the club’s administrators and was backed by then-manager Wayne Rooney.

United losses soar

Manchester United’s quarterly losses soared due to costs from the sale of a major stake in club to chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Man United reported a third-quarter net loss of more than £71mn in the three months ended March 31, up from £5.5mn a year earlier, while revenue decreased almost 20 per cent to £136mn, it said on Wednesday.    Lower revenue on back of no European matches was a factor. Wages still up 7%.   Interest costs over £1m a week, taking total interest since 2005 to £960m The sale of a 27.7 per cent voting stake to Ratcliffe’s Isle of Man entity in December saw the club incur exceptional costs of around £30mn for previously disclosed advisory and legal fees. Ratcliffe agreed to inject $300mn of fresh capital as part of the deal and United has moved to slash up to 250 jobs and reduce costs as part of a turnaround project.   

New owner at Reading

Former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig is poised to take over at Wycombe ending the chaos at the club under Dai Yongge:  https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/jul/09/reading-takeover-former-wycombe-owner-rob-couhig-dai-yongge?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other