Brentford FC rose from the lower divisions to become a Premier League club in 2021Getty Images
Premier League club Brentford owner Matthew Benham has “engaged advisers to canvas offers of investment” that could value the club at “more than” $505M, according to Mark Kleinman of SKY SPORTS. It has been reported that Benham, who initially invested in the club in 2007, has hired Rothschild to “oversee a process that could involve the sale of a controlling stake.” Rothschild is “expected to kick off a formal process in the near future,” with soccer industry experts “anticipating that Brentford will become the latest in a string of top-flight clubs to draw interest from US-based investors.” Brentford rose from the lower divisions to become a Premier League club in 2021. One insider said that the current owner was “open-minded about whether to sell a minority or majority shareholding” in Brentford, but that any deal would be “expected to value it at more than” $505M. The insider added that if Benham does decide to offload a controlling stake, he “would want to remain as a minority investor for the long term.” Rothschild is also “advising on the potential disposal of a roughly 10% stake in West Ham United” (SKY SPORTS, 2/21).
PURCHASE COMPLETE: In London, Dickinson & Ziegler reported Jim Ratcliffe has “completed his purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United.” A statement Tuesday night confirmed that Ratcliffe had “gone beyond his initial offer” for 25% of A and B shares for about $1.3B to “invest a further” $200M on completion of the deal and a further $100M to be “invested by the end of the year to enable future investment in infrastructure at Old Trafford.” Proposals are being “looked at not only to rebuild the stadium but the surrounding area.” The terms of Ratcliffe’s deal, which puts his present ownership at 27.7%, were “agreed with the Glazers shortly before Christmas but needed approval from the FA and Premier League.” Although Ratcliffe’s purchase of shares is for less than 30%, the deal with the Glazers “makes clear that Ineos will have control of the football business.” As a result, Ratcliffe will “seek clarity from UEFA on multi-club ownership to establish whether he may have to surrender control of Nice.” The United deal could “create complications given that both clubs have hopes of qualifying for the Champions League” (London TIMES, 2/20).
