Spanish Football League (LFP) President Javier Tebas "has moved to encourage third-party investment in the domestic game, a move at odds with UEFA’s drive to eradicate such business models," according to SOCCEREX.
Tebas’ "comments came at a meeting concerning the use of investment funds in football" in Madrid. Tebas "outlined his belief that the subject of third-party ownership (TPO) of players has been unfairly criticised." Tebas: "Investment funds have been much demonized. They allow us to maintain competitive capacity if they are perfectly regulated and work with total transparency."
Tebas believes TPO "provides valuable additional investment opportunities for Spanish clubs, with banks proving reluctant lenders amidst the country’s economic crisis." He said, "It is a form of alternative financing which would make it possible to have better competition and to avoid the possible disappearance of clubs. Regulation is essential to treat them with precise judicial security so that there are more investors. The LFP will work to see if, in the first third of next year, we can have (a system of) regulation" (SOCCEREX, 9/23).
