La Liga side Atlético and Chinese millionaire Wang Jianlin have reached an agreement "whereby
Jianlin will put capital into the club," according to Barbero & Aznar of MARCA. The club and Jianlin have "for some time been discussing the incorporation
of the Chinese multimillionaire into the club." The operation has been
conducted with "absolute discretion, and no specific details have yet
leaked out." The deal is "regarded as
an essential factor in the future development of the club." Jianlin owns commercial property developer Dalian Wanda Group, "one of the biggest companies in the world,
but this deal is not a question of selling the club," but "according to inside
sources, strengthening it" (MARCA, 10/6). FORBES' Heng Shao reported Jianlin is "one of China's richest men." It is "not the first time that rumors of Wang's purchase" of a foreign football club are "going viral." He was "previously reported" to be buying EPL side Southampton and Serie A side AS Roma. Both rumors "later turned out to be false." In July '11, Wang made a pledge to invest 500M yuan over a three-year
period to support China's football training, "including sponsoring Chinese
players below the age of 16 to receive three-year training at Atlético, Valencia and Villarreal, along with Spanish education." On July 30, Wang hosted a delegation from Atlético at
Wanda's headquarters in Beijing, "including the club's CEO, president and
director of investment." A "message to the senior assistant to Wang, who
was also present at that meeting, was not immediately answered." Emails
to the media team of Atlético "also went unanswered." If this time the rumor "proves to be true, Wang could be the much-needed lifeline investor for the struggling club." Although the team captured the La Liga championship last season, "its financial performance has been far less strong" (FORBES, 10/6).
