French Ligue 1 champions Paris St-Germain’s owners Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) are exploring the possibility of buying a minority stake in a Premier League club. Paris St-Germain president and QSI chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi met with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy in London last week. Manchester United’s owners the Glazer family have said they are looking for new investment and would also consider selling the club.
Paris St-Germain’s Owners Hopes to Buy a Minority Stake in EPL Club
Manchester United is not the only club wanting to sell their club as Liverpool’s owners have also said they “would consider new shareholders”. However, no specific clubs are being targeted at this stage by QSI, who also has a minority stake in Portuguese side Braga. And despite the meeting with Levy, it is being stressed that there was no discussion about QSI taking an equity stake in Tottenham.
A full takeover by the Qataris is unlikely as it would require the sale of Paris St-Germain. European football’s governing body Uefa has rules in place that prevent multi-club ownership. Under the rules “no individual or legal entity may have control or influence over more than one club” in a Uefa club competition. They define control or influences as:
- holding a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights
- having the right to appoint or remove a majority of the members of the administrative, management or supervisory body of the club
- being a shareholder and alone controlling a majority of the shareholders’ voting rights pursuant to an agreement entered into with other shareholders of the club
- being able to exercise by any means a decisive influence in the decision-making of the club
In 2017, RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg – two clubs associated with the energy-drink maker Red Bull – were given permission by Uefa to play in the Champions League together the following season. American investment group RedBird Capital, which bought Serie A side AC Milan last year, also has a stake in Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group.
