FIFA may have to call upon its financial reserves to subsidise its inaugural 32 team Club World Cup, as it struggles to gain the interest of broadcasters and sponsors, reports Senior Correspondent, James Corbett.

Less than nine months out from its launch, FIFA is still to unveil any sponsorship or broadcast partnerships in relation to the revamped tournament, although the FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a social media post on Saturday that it would reveal host cities by the end of this month.

A source close to the negotiations and speaking under condition of anonymity told Off The Pitch that the process of finding commercial partners for the competition had been one of repeated ”false promises and false dawns”.

Amidst lukewarm interest, Infantino hosted an online “information session” with 50 broadcasters on Friday. It follows the collapse of a proposed TV deal by Apple in July, with the world governing body said to be “billions apart” in its valuation of the tournament. An invitation to tender for media rights covering the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East & North Africa expired on 20 August.

Rely on the Saudis

The source said that Infantino had held showdown talks with club representatives at the end of August who spoke of their frustration at being left out of the project and warned him that the project was “at risk.”

The source added that progress had since been made, but said that the reality was that FIFA was “probably going to have to draw on its reserves” to make the tournament a reality, “or rely on the Saudis to bail them out.”

A FIFA official who contacted Off The Pitch last week was unable to divulge further information than that which was already publicly available. Infantino said in his social media post that the tournament would be “fantastic”.

Manchester City help FIFA sell Club World Cup for TV – despite chance of being banned

Manchester City are reportedly working closely with FIFA to sell the Club World Cup to TV companies despite the possibility they could be banned from next summer’s tournament for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

According to The Daily Telegraph, City CEO Ferran Soriano has held talks with FIFA over how the club can help promote the competition, and spoke enthusiastically in a video conference hosted by FIFA president Gianni Infantino last Friday to sell the concept to broadcasters.

During the meeting, Soriano and Infantino addressed a global audience of more than 50 TV companies and streaming providers to sell the expanded 32-team Club World Cup. Global broadcast partners are yet to be announced nine months before the tournament is due to start.

Strong support to FIFA

City are understood to have shown strong support to FIFA in recent months over the Club World Cup, raising the question over whether the global governing body would expel City from the competition if they are found guilty of some of the 115 alleged financial breaches currently being heard by an independent commission. City deny any wrongdoing.

Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta and Atlético Madrid’s Miguel Ángel Gil Marín also spoke at Friday’s meeting. Infantino said FIFA would confirm all Club World Cup stadium venues by the end of September.

Sampdoria confirm final agreement for Manfredi to take ownership of club

Sampdoria have announced that the acquisition of the club by Gestio Capital, led by the team’s president Matteo Manfredi, has finally been agreed, confirming the end of former president Massimo Ferrero’s interest in the club.

A brief statement from the Serie B club last Friday read: “U.C. Sampdoria S.p.a. announces that the investment and entry of [parent company] Blucerchiati S.p.A. into U.C. Sampdoria has been completed today.

“With the purchase of 55,976,265 shares from Sport e Spettacolo Holding, Blucerchiati S.p.a. now holds 99.98% of the company's share capital.”

Long-running saga

The announcement brings to an end the long-running saga over the club’s ownership and means that an agreement reached between Ferrero and the new owners at the end of May has finally been ratified.

After Ferrero had poured cold water over that agreement, a fresh deal was reached last week, reported by Italian media to be a "grave" commitment, removing the possibility of further appeals, disputes or legal actions.

The confirmation of new ownership also means that Sampdoria are now in a position to welcome the entry of new investors, including those with whom Manfredi has been in contact for some time and who could further strengthen the solidity and ambitions of the club.

Trent Alexander-Arnold in talks to buy FC Nantes for €100 million

Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is in talks over a potential takeover of Ligue 1 side FC Nantes, according to a report from L’Equipe.

It is understood the England international’s father, Michael Arnold, who acts as the manager of his sons’ interests through a London-based investment firm, has a keen interest in the French sports market.

The bid to acquire Nantes reportedly amounts to €100 million, comprising a straight €80 million plus a seller credit of €20 million, accompanied by various bonuses of up to €40 million.

Talks in London

According to L’Equipe, the Arnolds met the Nantes owner, French businessman Waldemar Kita, via videoconference last summer before recently meeting him in person, in Geneva, followed by further talks last Thursday in London.

Kita has owned Nantes since 2007 and is said to have grown tired of the Loire-Atlantique side’s sporting and financial struggles. The club has denied any takeover talks with Alexander-Arnold, who is already a minority shareholder of the French Formula 1 team Alpine F1 Team, through Otro Capital.

FC Dallas given green light for $182 million renovation of Toyota Stadium

FC Dallas has been given the go-ahead by Frisco City Council to proceed with a $182 million public-private partnership to renovate their Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

In a statement, the club announced that work will begin in the first quarter 2025, with the east side of the stadium to reopen in the summer of 2026 while construction begins on the west side. The full revamp is due to be complete in time for the start of the 2028 MLS season.

The venue’s capacity will increase by more than 10 per cent from the current 20,500 seats, with the premium club seating capacity expanding by 175 per cent and suite capacity by 58 per cent.

Public-private partnership

Funding will come from a public-private partnership between the City of Frisco and Frisco Independent School District ($77 million), the Frisco Community Development Corporation ($40 million), and club owners the Hunt family ($65 million).

The revamped stadium will feature three new clubs, a new roof structure to provide shade for spectators, and a 6,000 square feet video board, which will be the largest for a football-specific stadium in the MLS.  

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has accused FC Barcelona of "sports corruption" and said he believes the Catalan club will be sanctioned over the Negreira case.

During an appearance on The Wild Project podcast, Tebas said the case "has to be clarified as much as possible. … We have submitted certain documents for research. In this case it has not been proven that referees have been paid and I do not believe that it [will be] proven either.”

He added: "Barcelona paid Negreira because he sold them [the belief] that he could influence the promotions and relegations of referees. He sold them [the belief] that Barcelona could have more influence on that. That is sports corruption, but not at the level of buying [referees].”

“Not possible to prove it”

Tebas continued: "But it will not be possible to prove it. They are not going to reach any referee. What was done is wrong. I think Barcelona will have their sanction, but not at the level of the narrative that is being built by [Real] Madrid.”

The case relates to payments totalling €7.3 million made by Barcelona to the former vice-president of the Spanish FA’s refereeing committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, over 17 years.

Barcelona have consistently denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest over the payments. The club has repeatedly said they paid an external consultant for “technical reports related to professional refereeing”, which they said was common practice among professional clubs.

DFL and Relevent Sports strike long-term deal to boost Bundesliga growth in Americas

The DFL has announced a long-term strategic partnership with the New York-based sports and media rights company Relevent Sports to significantly expand its sales and marketing activities in the Americas region.

In a statement, the DFL said Relevent will market the media rights to Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches across the region from the start of the 2026/27 season, adding that the agreement “will run over several rights cycles.”

The league said Relevent will also support the Bundesliga’s media and sponsorship sales from the current 2024/25 season by “creating tailor-made content for the various target markets”, which encompass North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean.

Bundesliga Americas team

The DFL and Relevent will also build out a Bundesliga Americas team featuring content, marketing, PR and sales specialists, with branches in New York City and Guadalajara, Mexico, alongside “a significant expansion of the existing staff,” according to the statement.

The DFL said the Bundesliga Americas team will “boast greater proximity to local markets and media companies and produce cross-media content that appeals to fans in the 35 countries” across the region.

RC Deportivo confirm closing of historic bankruptcy case

RC Deportivo de La Coruña have announced that the bankruptcy proceedings against the club which began in 2013 have officially been closed after its historic debt was cleared.

The Spanish second division club confirmed in a statement that the Commercial Court No. 2 of A Coruña has made public the “conclusion of the insolvency proceedings and definitive agreement to close the case.”

Deportivo noted that they were “involved in the largest and longest insolvency proceedings in Spanish football,” with a bankruptcy debt of more than €160 million.

Creditors' agreement

A creditors' agreement was approved by the Commercial Court in February 2014, with payment terms extended until January 2048. However, in April of this year the court gave the green light for Deportivo to alter the agreement so they could immediately pay all the credits with a 19.9 per cent haircut.

Deportivo had already had the approval of most of their creditors months earlier, but with that resolution it did not have to wait until 2031 to receive the credits linked to the ordinary debt and until 2048 those of the subordinated debt.

Exclusive: FC32 set to acquire Roy Keane’s first club

Multiclub ownership group FC32, co-founded by American sports executive Charlie Stillitano, is on the verge of acquiring League of Ireland club Cobh Ramblers, the former club of football legend Roy Keane, reports Senior Correspondent, James Corbett.

This acquisition marks the second club purchase for FC32, following their acquisition of Austrian side SKN St. Pölten earlier this year.

FC32, which boasts a “player-first approach”, and which is run by Paul Francis, a former head of sports science at Adidas, targets lower-league, promotion-ready clubs.

Athlete-led group

The group emphasizes long-term player development over short-term results, aiming to maximize growth potential while supporting players with personalized development plans.

It claims to have an investor base of “70 per cent current and former athletes” and its founders have targeted a total of seven clubs. The group eventually aims to generate annual transfer fees of €100-150 million.
 

The English Football League (EFL), determined to uphold its profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), is considering charging Leicester City with a financial rules breach if the club is relegated, according to a report from The Guardian.

This move comes after the Premier League was blocked from pursuing similar charges against Leicester for overspending during the 2022-23 campaign, as reported by The Guardian.

According to an independent commission, the Premier League lacked jurisdiction to charge Leicester since they were not part of the league when they submitted their accounts for the 2022-23 season on June 30, 2023. Leicester had been charged with a £24.4 million breach of the £105 million PSR loss limit by the Premier League, which could have led to a points deduction of up to seven points.

Seeking legal advice

The EFL is now seeking legal advice and believes that it would have jurisdiction over Leicester if they are relegated. The club joined the Championship on June 13, 2023, before filing their accounts later that month.

The EFL's argument hinges on the fact that Leicester was officially in the Championship when their accounts were submitted, despite competing in the Premier League for all three seasons of the 2020-23 cycle.

Marcelo Claure acquires stake in New York City FC

New York City FC have announced that entrepreneur and investor Marcelo Claure has joined the club's ownership group, acquiring a stake equivalent to approximately 10% of the company's post-investment value. Claure has also been appointed as Co-Vice Chairman of the club.

Claure's investment is in City Football Group US Holdco LLC, which holds combined ownership over New York City FC and its future stadium in Willets Point, Queens, set to open in 2027.

With this transaction, New York City FC's parent company will be 80% majority-owned by City Football Group, while Yankee Global Enterprises and Marcelo Claure will each hold around 10%.

Eyes growth

"Marcelo has an incredible passion for soccer, for MLS, and for the growth of the sport in the United States. He shares our vision for the development of the game," said Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of City Football Group and New York City FC.

Claure expressed his excitement about joining at a pivotal time for soccer in the U.S., with major events like the Club World Cup and World Cup on the horizon. He highlighted the potential of MLS and the significance of building a new stadium in New York City.

Steve Pagliuca in talks to acquire Red Star FC

Steve Pagliuca, a private equity investor, is in discussions to acquire Red Star FC, a historic Paris-based football club, according to a report from Bloomberg.

The negotiations are being conducted through his family office, PagsGroup LLC. Red Star FC was previously acquired by 777 Partners in 2022, and the firm's football assets are currently under review by Moelis & Co.

Pagliuca is no stranger to sports investments; he co-owns Atalanta BC and NBA team Boston Celtics. He has expressed interest in investing in French football due to the capital needs of clubs affected by lower broadcast revenues.

Protests and stadium renovation

The club's supporters have a history of protesting capitalist ownership, including heavy protests against the takeover by 777 Partners. Despite this, Red Star achieved promotion from the third tier of French football under 777's ownership.

The club's stadium is undergoing renovations to become a modern 10,000-capacity venue with executive seating. However, until the benefits of increased matchday revenue are realized, Red Star is reportedly losing around €10 million annually.

Old Trafford task force to deliver stadium recommendation by year-end

According to The Athletic, Manchester United's Old Trafford task force is set to deliver its recommendation on the future of the club's iconic stadium by the end of December. The task force, which will meet again on Thursday, has been considering whether to redevelop Old Trafford or construct a new stadium altogether.

An internal document indicates that a report outlining the final recommendations must be submitted by December 31. Following this, United will decide on the next steps.

Foster and Partners, an architectural firm previously appointed for United’s Carrington training ground redevelopment, is expected to be named as lead masterplanners for the stadium district project. This project will focus on enhancing the areas surrounding Old Trafford for fans and the local community, rather than designing the stadium itself.

Club explores public-private partnership

Club representatives, along with members of the task force, Trafford Council, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), are scheduled to attend both the Labour and Conservative Party conferences to discuss redevelopment plans for Trafford Wharfside, rather than seeking public funding for the stadium project itself.

Manchester United acknowledges that public funding for the stadium is unlikely but is investigating if a public-private partnership could support necessary transport and infrastructure developments around Old Trafford. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and task force member, has stated that such a partnership would still require "the club to fund the stadium and associated Manchester United facilities."

La Liga president supports potential players' strike over Club World Cup scheduling

La Liga President Javier Tebas has expressed support for a potential players' strike aimed at challenging FIFA's scheduling of the new 32-team Club World Cup, as reported by The Guardian.

Tebas's comments come after Manchester City midfielder Rodri warned that players were nearing a strike due to the increasing demands of their playing schedule.

According to Tebas, the issue extends beyond player workload, impacting the sporting and economic aspects of domestic leagues and their clubs. He emphasized that while the problem might seem to concern only the 200 players involved in international club competitions, it actually affects the broader industry, including the 40,000 professional players and 2,000 clubs not participating in European contests.

Players may strike in internationals

Professional Footballers' Association (PFA)'s chief executive, Maheta Molango, has suggested that players could strike during national team competitions while continuing to play for their clubs

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, Molango said: "I don’t think that the issue is here domestically. I think the problem is more in terms of international competition, especially the national team competitions

Everton’s takeover saga could be set to take a new twist after it was reported that AS Roma owner Dan Friedkin is considering reviving his interest in the Merseyside club to rival fellow American John Textor’s bid.

According to Bloomberg, Friedkin is in fresh discussions with stakeholders about the feasibility of an offer and how it would be structured.

In July a proposed takeover by the US billionaire collapsed, ending a month-long period of exclusivity talks after Friedkin became concerned about the level of debt at the Premier League club following the failed takeover by 777 Partners.

At the time, a joint-statement on behalf of the Friedkin Group and Everton affirmed that a period of exclusivity was over and negotiations would “not be progressing”.

Optimism over interest

However, The Daily Telegraph reported this week that behind the scenes at Goodison Park there has been optimism that Friedkin’s interest had cooled rather than completely ended and he might be tempted back to the negotiating table.

It is unclear at this stage if Friedkin is maintaining a watching brief or readying a formal approach.

Blatter and Platini to face appeal trial in 2025

A second appeal trial against former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA president Michel Platini into the “disloyal payment” case will take place next March, Swiss and French media have reported.

The case will be heard at the Strafjustizzentrumin Muttenz before the extraordinary appeals chamber of the Judicial Court of the Swiss canton of Basel-Landschaft.

Blatter and Platini were both acquitted in July 2022 of fraud, embezzlement and other corruption charges in a criminal action brought by Swiss judicial authorities. The acquittals came despite both having been banned from football by FIFA, but prosecutors immediately appealed.

$2 million “disloyal payment”

The verdict followed an 11-day trial at the Federal Criminal Court of Switzerland and centred around the so-called $2 million “disloyal payment” from FIFA to Platini with Blatter’s approval in 2011, for work done a decade earlier.

Both men had denied wrongdoing and said the transfer was belated payment for Platini’s advisory work for Blatter, though there was no written proof of it. Blatter had described it as a “gentleman’s agreement”.

Levante UD close capital increase with €1 million – 25 per cent of planned total

Levante UD have raised €1 million from minority shareholders through their latest capital increase – just 25 per cent of the €4 million initially planned, the club have announced.

In a statement, the Spanish second division club revealed that in two phases, it sold 13,167 shares among 1,113 subscribers. The forecast was to place 48,975 shares.

In the first round, 12,223 shares were sold, to which 944 shares subscribed in the second round were added.

“Other mechanisms”

The club said it “will have to look for other mechanisms to be able to continue promoting all its proposals, actions and even the normal development of its activity.”

The statement added: “Some of them have already been launched and the Board of Directors, as this increase is not completed, is carrying out negotiations with the different debtors to be able to capitalize debt (convert it into shares) and thus relieve the club's treasury in the short term, which is the most pressing need that exists right now.”

RC Lens strike agreement to buy Stade Bollaert-Delelis

RC Lens president Joseph Oughourlian has confirmed that the club have struck an agreement with the town hall to purchase the Stade Bollaert-Delelis and could buy their home stadium for around €25 million.

Lens have played at the Bollaert-Delelis since its construction in 1933. However, like many clubs in France, ownership of the stadium remains with the local government rather than the club.

In an interview with French regional daily newspaper La Voix du Nord, Oughourlian said purchasing the stadium represents a unique opportunity for the club and a means by which it can raise additional capital.

“Interesting position”

The Lens president said: “[Buying the stadium] would place us in an interesting position, because we would be one of the very few clubs in France, perhaps the only one, once Olympique Lyonnais have sold their stadium, to own their own ground.”

Oughourlian added that Lens would look at the ability to bring in more revenue streams to the stadium, which could mean making it more multi-purpose.

The campaign group Fair Game has said the apparent involvement of MI6 in UK Government talks over the Saudi takeover of Newcastle United underlines why a controversial clause should be dropped from the new independent regulator for English football.

The clause in question would require the regulator to take into account “foreign and trade policy” – and UEFA has warned the Government it has concerns that the clause could amount to state interference in football.

A freedom of information (FoI) request by The Times for copies of the Foreign Office’s communications about the Newcastle takeover showed at least one letter on the issue was copied to the private secretary of “C”, the codename for the chief of MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service.

Fairer governance

Fair Game, which is campaigning for fairer governance in football, said the FoI letter was a “red flag” over the foreign policy clause in planned legislation for the regulator.

The UK Government is still reviewing possible changes to the Football Governance Bill. A spokesman for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The regulator will not compromise the independence of the football authorities.”

Premier League clubs ‘frustrated by secrecy’ over Manchester City’s 115 charges hearing

The Premier League is facing frustration from clubs over the secret nature of the hearing into the 115 alleged rules breaches by Manchester City, according to a report from The Daily Telegraph.

The hearing is confidential and being held in private in front of an unnamed three-person commission in accordance with Section W of the league’s rules.

Public details of the City charges have been restricted only to a basic list of the rules and seasons of each alleged breach and, while photographs have emerged of legal teams arriving at an arbitration centre in London, even the location of the hearing was kept under wraps.

Legal costs

One club insider told The Daily Telegraph “we know the bill at the end – but not much else.” A lawyer who has acted for one Premier League club added: “Justice does not just need to be done – it needs to be seen to be done. There is no reason, in principle, why it is not being held in public.”

City have always denied any wrongdoing over the Premier League charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them.

Real Madrid suspend concerts at Bernabéu after noise complaints

Real Madrid have cancelled or rescheduled all concerts at their Santiago Bernabéu stadium after local people complained that a series of loud, late gigs had turned the arena into a “torture-drome”.

The Bernabéu has hosted high-profile concerts over the spring and summer, with headliners including Taylor Swift, Luis Miguel and Karol G, but, as reported by The Guardian, while delighting some music fans the concerts have driven many local people to despair.

Issues have included decibels far exceeding legal levels, fans camping out in local parks and the blocking off of residential roads. A group representing those living around the stadium began legal action against those responsible, including Madrid city council.

“Provisionally reschedule”

In a statement, the LaLiga champions said: “Real Madrid FC is announcing that it has decided to provisionally reschedule its event and concert programme at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

“This decision is part of a raft of measures that the club is taking to ensure that the concerts comply strictly with the relevant municipal regulations.”

It added: “Real Madrid will continue working to make sure that the necessary sound production and emission conditions are in place to allow concerts to be held in our stadium.”

The US investment manager Aliya Capital Partners has confirmed that it is backing John Textor’s bid to acquire Everton as the American businessman seeks to secure the financing required to push through a takeover of the Merseyside club.

As reported by Bloomberg, the Miami-based firm, which committed to supporting Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter two years ago, said in a statement: “We are delighted to support John Textor in his investment in Everton Football Club.”

Earlier this summer, Aliya offered its investors the chance to commit around $25 million to backing a deal for Everton, according to a pitch document reviewed by Bloomberg. As part of any transaction, Aliya will get a co-chairman position and one board seat at Everton.

Minimum 3x return

Aliya has given its investors the option of holding Everton shares for the long term or converting them into stock in Textor’s investment vehicle Eagle Football Holdings, in the event it goes public. Any conversion guaranteed a minimum 3x return, the document shows.

“Our involvement in Everton reflects our shared commitment to innovation and transformation in football,” Aliya said in its statement. “We eagerly anticipate Everton’s ascent under John’s visionary leadership.”

FC Barcelona’s LaLiga salary limit more than doubled to €426 million

FC Barcelona’s salary limit for the 2024/25 season has been set by LaLiga at €426 million, up 58 per cent from €204 million for the previous campaign.

The new spending caps for all Spanish top-flight and second-division clubs were announced by LaLiga late last week. Real Madrid continue to have the biggest by some distance at €755 million.
Atletico Madrid are third at €311 million and Real Sociedad fourth at €160 million. The total limit for LaLiga EA Sports is €2.6 billion, 2 per cent higher than at the start of the 2023/24 season.

Legal battle with Nike

As reported by Spanish media, Barcelona’s limit has more than doubled due in part to the ending of the club’s legal battle with Nike, which has meant the Catalan giants must uphold their contract with their kit sponsor up to 2028.

Other factors include the deal with club sponsor Aramark to become a strategic partner in Barcelona’s digital unit Barça Visión, and the matchday and membership income being lost while work continues on the revamp of the Camp Nou.

Inter and AC Milan revive new stadium plan after rejecting San Siro revamp proposal

AC Milan and Inter Milan have rejected a plan to revamp the San Siro but have revived proposals to build a new joint stadium in the same area, the city’s mayor Giuseppe Sala has revealed.

Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with club representatives, Sala said: "After an in-depth analysis the clubs concluded that the [San Siro] stadium cannot be revamped in an affordable way ... they don't think it is feasible."

He added: "They have put forward the idea of going back to a new stadium in the San Siro area. … This a long story and I am sorry about that, but it's not easy to build a stadium in Italy.”

Five-year saga

The move marks the latest development in a saga stretching back five years. The clubs are now proposing to buy from the city of Milan the areas surrounding the old stadium and build a modern facility which would become their new joint home ground.

The clubs would become the owners of the old San Siro, which would be repurposed. Sala said that before going ahead the clubs have asked for an assessment of the economic value of the existing facility and the surrounding areas, clarity on the scope of heritage protection for the venue and set a timeline for a possible deal.

UEFA warns England risk ban from Euro 2028 over independent regulator

UEFA has warned UK ministers that England could be banned from Euro 2028 –which they are due to co-host – if the Government moves ahead with existing plans for a men’s independent football regulator.

As reported by The Times, UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis wrote to the UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy this month saying there should be “no government interference in the running of football”.

According to a leaked copy of the letter, Theodoridis cautioned against plans outlined in the King’s Speech to give the new regulator broad powers to oversee clubs in England’s top five leagues, and said the game’s independence was a “fundamental requirement”.

“Trade and foreign policy objectives”

Theodoridis singled out proposed powers that would force club owners to make decisions based on the UK government’s “trade and foreign policy objectives” as a potential example of state over-reach.

This could include banning clubs from attracting investment from controversial countries or where they play friendly matches overseas. He also criticised the idea that the regulator could override clubs concerning the distribution of revenue from TV and other forms of media.

Theodoridis said: “We have specific rules that guard against [state meddling] in order to guarantee the autonomy of sport and fairness of sporting competition; the ultimate sanction for which would be excluding the federation from UEFA and teams from competition.”

The long-awaited hearing into the Premier League's 115 charges against Manchester City over alleged breaches of its financial rules will begin on Monday, according to a report from Sky Sports News.

However, it is understood a decision from the independent commission is unlikely to be made public before the spring. City have always denied any wrongdoing over the charges and say they have “irrefutable evidence” that will clear them.

It is expected the formal hearing with the independent commission will go on for up to two months, with both the Premier League and City to make lengthy legal representations, outlining their case.

Volume of charges

The independent commission will then go away and consider all the evidence before making their decision. That process is expected to take several months because of the volume of charges, and the amount of information to be reviewed.

Therefore, it could be March or later before a decision by the commission is made public. Even then, if the commission decide City are guilty of some or all of the charges against them, the club would likely appeal that decision, which would further delay the imposition of any sanctions or points deductions.

Mbappé set to take PSG to court over €55 million wages dispute

Kylian Mbappé is reportedly set to take Paris Saint-Germain to court as the striker’s claim over €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses rumbles on.

PSG were ordered yesterday by the LFP's legal committee to pay the arrears, but the club are refusing to do so and according to L'Équipe are now waiting for Mbappé to take his claim to the courts authorised to judge cases relating to labour law.

In a statement, PSG said: "Given the limits of the legal scope of the [LFP's legal] committee to take a full decision on this case, the case must now be challenged before another court, to which Paris Saint-Germain will be happy to present all the facts in the months and years to come.”

Mediation offer rejected

The latest developments have come after Mbappé rejected a recommendation from the LFP’s legal committee to attend a mediation with PSG to settle their ongoing dispute over the unpaid wages earlier this week.

PSG have insisted that Mbappé’s wage arrears are justified by the “commitments” made by the player to renounce them in the event of his departure as a free agent. The forward moved to Real Madrid in the summer on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

Everton distance themselves from John Textor takeover claims

Everton have moved to distance themselves from claims made by John Textor that he is close to buying the club.

In an interview on Sky Sports, the American businessman made a series of remarks outlining his plans for the club and suggested he is in the process of selling his stake in Crystal Palace, which would allow him to proceed with his interest in owning Everton.

“We’re into the final week or two of knowing who the buyer [of the Palace stake] will be,” Textor said. “The contract I have with Farhad gives us a lot of time for that as November 30 is our deadline set to make sure we can complete it. I feel we can do so before then.”

Baffled by comments

As reported by The Daily Telegraph, senior figures at Goodison Park were understood to be baffled by many of Textor’s comments and felt compelled to clarify the club’s position.

In a statement, Everton said: “The club is aware of the comments made by John Textor in relation to a potential purchase of the club.

“While positive conversations and progress continues to be made with Mr Textor to formalise any deal with him, there remains some work to be done to complete the transaction.

“Accordingly, the comments made by Mr Textor merely represent his personal view on club matters.”

Valencia CF hire Goldman Sachs to raise €120 million to help cover new stadium costs

Valencia CF have hired the US bank Goldman Sachs to raise around €120 million as the club looks to cover the costs of completing the construction of the Nou Mestalla, Spanish media have reported.

According to El Confidencial, the LaLiga club are looking to generate fresh capital to refinance the debt it has with CaixaBank and its largest shareholder, Peter Lim, as well as obtaining funds to complete their long-running stadium project.

In July, Valencia announced that work on the Nou Mestalla was set to resume within the next six months after the City Council of Valencia granted the club the mandatory building licence for the plot of land where the partially built venue sits.

Beset by difficulties

The construction of the new stadium has been beset by difficulties since being first unveiled back in 2006, but the recent granting of the building licence has provided a major boost to the prospects of it hosting matches at the 2030 World Cup.

The total budget needed to complete the stadium is understood to be €120 million, of which €80 million will come from the LaLiga Impulso project with CVC Capital Partners.

Manchester United have reported a net loss of £113.2 million for the financial year ending 30th June 2024 despite earning record total revenues of £661.8 million.

The deficit follows the loss of £28.7 million for the previous year and marks the club’s fifth consecutive annual loss, driven in part by increased investment in the playing squad.

United’s wage bill for 2023/24 went up by £33.3 million to £364.7 million, which the club said was primarily as a result of playing in the Champions League last season after competing in the Europa League in 2022/23.

Rise in broadcast income

The club’s appearances in the group stage of UEFA’s elite club competition were also the key factor in the revenue increase, driven primarily by a rise in broadcast income to £221.8 million, up from £209.1 million the previous year.

United also confirmed that the club incurred a total of £47.8 million in exceptional costs, largely related to the strategic review process which led to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of a minority stake last December.

Under the new part-ownership led by Ratcliffe, United have embarked on a series of cost-cutting measures, including a restructuring process, cutting around 250 jobs.

Cardinale: Private equity investment has ‘massively inflated’ sports valuations

AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has claimed that private equity interest in sports teams has led to “massively inflated” valuations based on “facile notions” about the industry’s future growth.

Speaking at the IMG x RedBird Summit yesterday, Cardinale, who is the founder of US private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, took a swipe against rivals, saying the sector’s move into sport had been “bad for the ecosystem.”

The American argued that money was simply being parked in the sports industry with little effort to improve the performance of the underlying business. “This is about my crowd coming into sports,” he said.

“The problem with my crowd is they are asset managers. They just want to buy stuff, and that’s not great for intellectual property-based businesses.”

“No governance”

Cardinale added that RedBird, with its decades of experience in sport, was different from other investors. “What I’m trying to do there is bring what I’ve learned over 30 years in America to European football,” he said. “There’s a huge opportunity to return AC Milan back to where it was.”

However, he stressed that sports asset owners were too often asking investors to pay “control premium valuations for minority stakes with no governance, no information rights and no exit”.

Mbappé rejects mediation with PSG over €55 million wage dispute

Kylian Mbappé has rejected a recommendation from the LFP’s legal committee to attend a mediation with Paris Saint-Germain to settle their ongoing dispute over unpaid wages, French news agency AFP has reportedFrench news agency AFP has reported.

Lawyers for the star striker, who moved to Real Madrid in the summer, had contacted the LFP’s legal committee on 8th August to help resolve the conflict with his former club over his claim of €55 million in unpaid wages and bonuses.

PSG yesterday welcomed the recommendation made by the LFP, announcing they had been trying “for many months” to establish a mediation with their former player. But later in the day it was reported that Mbappé had turned down the proposed move.

Signing bonus

The Ligue 1 champions are said to owe the France captain the final payment of a €36 million signing bonus, the last three months of his salary and an ‘ethics bonus’ for the period of April-June 2024.

PSG argue that Mbappé’s wage arrears are justified by the “commitments” made by the player to renounce them in the event of his departure as a free agent. The forward moved to Madrid on a free transfer after his PSG contract expired.

Vincent Labrune has been re-elected as LFP president for the next four years after defeating board member Cyril Linette, as had been widely expected, at the organisation’s elective general assembly yesterday.

As reported by French media, of the 17 members on the board of directors, Labrune obtained 14 votes, while Linette secured just two. Labrune then won 86 per cent of the general assembly votes in the first round.

The current president has come under fire over the handling of the sale of Ligue 1 broadcast rights in recent months, and during his campaign he staunchly defended his record, declaring that "no one could have done better".

Ambitious target

Labrune had set the ambitious target of €1 billion per year from the next cycle of Ligue 1 media rights, but the domestic rights were reportedly sold for around half that figure.

The deal with DAZN and beIN Sports was announced with just over a month to go until the start of the new season. The deal marked a decline from €624 million per year in the previous cycle.

Prospect of Chelsea moving to new stadium in Earl’s Court dismissed

Chelsea’s prospects of leaving Stamford Bridge and moving to Earls Court have been dismissed by the company in charge of the development of the site.

The move has come after The Guardian reported that the West London club had held talks about the possibility of moving to Earl’s Court, which is under the management of the Earl’s Court Development Company (ECDC).

Increasing the capacity from 42,000 is a major priority for the Chelsea owners, and according to The Guardian discussions had been held with Transport for London (TfL), one of the partners that looks after the Earls Court site, and the real estate developers Delancey.

“No plan for Chelsea to relocate”

However, as reported by The Daily Telegraph, the ECDC has released a statement dismissing the possibility of such a move.

“There is no plan within our plans for Chelsea FC to relocate to the Earl’s Court site,” the statement read. “We have a fully detailed design, shortly to be registered with both local authorities, which prioritises the delivery of thousands of homes and jobs, culture and open space.”

It added: “This will see development commence in 2026 with the first residents and occupiers moving in from 2030. This is, and will remain, our primary focus.”

Everton fans ‘could buy shares in club’ if Textor seals takeover

John Textor is considering giving Everton fans the chance to buy shares in the club if he succeeds in his £600 million bid to take control from Farhad Moshiri, The Guardian has reported.

The American businessman is preparing to float his holding company Eagle Football Group on the New York Stock Exchange, and sources close to Textor told The GuardianEverton could be taken public at a later date.

Textor is understood to be confident an agreement with Moshiri over buying Everton can be reached within four weeks after he was granted exclusive negotiating rights last month.

Plan to fund Everton purchase

Textor is planning to use his money and that of several unknown partners to fund the Everton purchase before absorbing the club into Eagle Football. Everton could then be listed on the stock exchange, which would require approval from the club’s board.

The Eagle Football IPO is due this month, with Textor seeking around £400 million in funding. The American holds a 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace which would need to be sold for a takeover of Everton to go through. He also owns Botafogo in Brazil and the Belgian club RWD Molenbeek.

AS Roma given boost to new stadium plans after appeal over use of land rejected

Plans for AS Roma’s new stadium have received a significant boost after a challenge over the land set to be used for its construction was dismissed by Rome’s highest legal authority.

As reported by Italian media, the Municipality of Rome obtained a fresh victory at the Council of State, putting an end to part of the complex legal saga linked to the Pietralata neighbourhood where the new stadium is due to be built.

The judges of Palazzo Spada rejected the appeal presented by two residents against the eviction order issued by the Campidoglio to free up the land necessary for the new venue’s construction.

Preliminary study

With the rejection of the challenge, the Campidoglio has recovered the areas of land, and technicians will be able to proceed with the geological core samples and the archaeological trenches – two essential steps to complete the preliminary study and draw up the definitive stadium project.

The next judicial stages are set for tomorrow and next Friday 20th September, when the civil court will discuss the protection of possession of the areas of land claimed by the residents.

RFEF calls presidential elections for October after Rocha suspension

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has taken its first steps to elect a new president following the disqualification of Pedro Rocha earlier this year.

In a statement, the RFEF announced that its management committee has called elections for the presidency of the federation and has elected María Ángeles García Chaves as president of the management committee.

Interested parties will be required to put forward their presidential candidacies by next Monday 16th September, and elections will then take place on 7th October “if there are numerous candidates”, the RFEF said. It added that if only one candidate comes forward, “this step will not be necessary.”

Infringement of authority

Rocha, who succeeded Luis Rubiales as interim president last year before being voted the new head of the RFEF in April this year, was suspended in July for two years for a “very serious infringement” of his authority.

Spain’s superior sports court (TAD) deemed last September’s dismissal of former general secretary Andreu Camps to be an abuse of Rocha’s authority.

Manchester United have formed a new strategic partnership with the city’s authorities to align plans for Old Trafford’s future with the regeneration of the surrounding area.

In a statement, the club announced they will work with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) “to maximise the growth and regeneration opportunities of the Trafford Wharfside area.”

The club added that an advisory team, led by an independent director, will be appointed to ensure the work of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force - set up in March to explore options for a new or revamped stadium - is closely aligned with the current Trafford Wharfside redevelopment project.

Project financing

As reported by The Athletic, one of the main focuses of the Task Force will be the financing of the project. A variety of potential private funding sources will be explored, with the cost of building a new stadium and/or a wider regeneration plan likely to require additional financial partners.

United are not expected to make a final decision on whether to build a new stadium or redevelop their existing Old Trafford ground until the end of the year but they are leaning towards creating a new venue.

Perez considers moving Real Madrid presidential vote ‘due to Super League hopes’

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez may call a presidential election earlier than expected due to the potential of a European Super League beginning in September 2025, according to a report from Spanish newspaper Sport.

Madrid and FC Barcelona are both still backing plans for the proposed competition despite no other clubs publicly expressing their support, and it is understood Perez may change the election timings to allow Real to underline their position well ahead of any possible start.

Initially, it was expected that an election would take place between April and June next year, but it is thought it could now be moved to this December. The vote will decide Madrid’s president for the next four years, with Perez widely expected to be re-elected.

Current popularity

Sport reported that while Perez may face opponents in the presidential vote, they would face an uphill battle given the current president’s popularity. Madrid won both LaLiga and the Champions League last season and are undertaking a major revamp of the Santiago Bernabéu.

If Perez retains the presidency, it would be his seventh term at the helm of the club and would stretch his tenure to 25 years if he is elected until 2029.