February 15 – Aston Villa’s owners V Sports are set to buy a 46% stake in Portuguese club Vitória Sport Clube.
V Sports was set up as a joint venture by two billionaires based in the US – American Wes Edens and Egyptian Nassef Sawiris. They bought Villa in 2018 when the club had been relegated to the Championship. Villa returned to the Premier League in 2019.
The move to buy into Vitória Sport has been a long time coming with discussion between the club and V Sports having first started in 2020. The sale and purchase agreement requires ratification by members of Vitória Sport Clube.
An Aston Villa press release said the deal “signals an important step forward in the global expansion of the V Sports portfolio.”
“V Sports aims to create a synergy amongst clubs in its group that will encourage the sharing of worldwide scouting networks, academy coaching methodologies, best practice and youth academy development strategies across Europe and Africa,” said Villa.
Villa chairman Nassef Sawiris, a director of V Sports, said: “V Sports is delighted to be partnering with Vitória Sport Clube.
“Discussions, which have been ongoing for almost two years, have progressed thanks to the positive steps taken by the new management team led by Antonio Miguel Cardoso whose energy and vision has been a crucial component in reaching this agreement.”
Vitória were formed in 1922 and coolly referred to as Vitória de Guimarães. The club are currently placed fifth in Portugal’s Primeira Liga and in a qualification slot for the UEFA Conference League next season. Vitória frequently qualify for UEFA club competitions with their best run having been to the Uefa Cup quarter-final in 1987. They faced Villa in the same competition in 1983.
No value was given the acquisition by V Sports.
António Miguel Cardoso, President of Vitória Sport Clube, said: “Since first meeting we found out that Mr Nassef Sawiris is a man of serious commitments and available to be the right partner which VSC needs in this important moment of our history.”
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