Deportivo cuts debt burden by €45m and opens door to raised salary cap
July 5 – La Liga club Deportivo La Coruña has restructured its crippling debt mountain with a €45 million loan-cum-sponsorship with financial institution Abanca.
Finance
With wedding celebration in full swing, Messi renews his vows with Barca
July 5 – Rumours of Lionel Messi’s possible departure from Barcelona have been well and truly crushed after the Argentine superstar agreed a contract extension which will keep him at his boyhood club until 2021.
M&A advisors Blackbridge and Whitecap combine to open new investor markets for clubs
July 5 – Mergers and acquisitions specialists Blackbridge Cross Borders form the UK and Whitecap Sports from the US have formed a strategic partnership to open up the US market to European/Asian investors and vice versa.
Fiorentina lose €32m claim against Chelsea over Salah loan
July 4 – The Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) has ruled against Italian club Fiorentina,in their €32 million claim against Chelsea over the loan transfer of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah.
SPFL raises prize and TV cash to £2m for Betfred Cup
July 3 – The Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL) has boosted total prize to £1.6 million and TV payments to almost £500,000 for the 2017 Betfred Cup. The 15% increase includes a record £250,000 for the competition winners.
Short pulls out of Sunderland sale talks and commits funds for new season
June 30 – Sunderland owner Ellis Short (pictured) has taken the club off the market after sales talks with potential new German owners broke down.
West Brom owner Lai to build ‘soccer towns’ across China with club as centrepiece
June 29 – West Bromwich Albion’s Chinese owner Guochuan Lai (pictured) and landscaping company Palm plan to construct up to six ‘soccer towns’ across China as part of Lai’s expansion of the West Brom brand across China.
Leeds United get Elland Road back under club ownership
By Mark Baber
Junne 29 – Leeds United have confirmed that their parent company has completed the purchase of the Elland Road Stadium, as had been promised by new Chairman Andrea Radrizzani.
TV money: Is more cash making the game more equal?
June 27 – TV revenues have revolutionised club football finances in Europe. But it is how those revenues are distributed that is crucial to the competitive integrity of leagues, the sustainability of clubs and the competitive balance between the rich and poor.
Ashley sells Rangers shareholding as fan group takes stake over 10%
By Paul Nicholson
June 26 – The messy divorce of English businessman Mike Ashley from his involvement in Scottish giants Rangers now looks to be complete with Ashley having sold his remaining 8.9% shareholding in Rangers International Football Club for £2 million.
Doughnut management out, Donut salesman in at Orient
June 23 – After three years of being run by doughnuts, far fallen Leyton Orient have been taken over by a man who runs a doughnut company. A consortium led by Baskin Robbins and Dunkin’ Donuts chief executive Nigel Travis (pictured with friends) has completed its takeover.
Friends with benefits: Morocco earmarks $5m for Malawi football projects
By Mark Baber
June 22 – A newly formed partnership between Malawi and Morocco will see the Moroccan government inject $5 million into Football Association of Malawi (FAM) infrastructure projects via the Federation of Royal Moroccan Football (FRMF).
Rangers cut a deal with Ashley and Sports Direct, ending fan boycott
By Paul Nicholson
June 22 – Scottish Premiership side Rangers have reached a new retail agreement in their long running and bitter dispute with Mike Ashley and Sports Direct (SD).
Red Bull’s Salzburg and Leipzig given wings to enter UEFA Champions League
June 21 – Both RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg have been given the go ahead to participate in the UEFA Champions League, having restructured their relationships with the Austrian Red Bull energy drinks company to overcome the regulatory prohibition on common ownership of clubs.
Sunderland accelerate sale talks as Short holds out for £90m to end his reign
June 20 – Sunderland’s relegation from the Premier League also saw the resignation of manager David Moyes over lack of transfer funds, and has accelerated the desire of American owner Ellis Short to sell the club. The club announced it is prioritising its sale over the search for a new manager.