Man City’s owner is expected to announce the purchase of Chinese third-tier club Sichuan Jiuniu, the "latest acquisition to a growing portfolio of clubs around the world," according to Ed Aarons of the London GUARDIAN. The City Football Group has been searching for a project in China, having sold a 13% share of the company -- owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi ruling family -- in '15 to the private equity groups China Media Capital and CITIC Capital. CFG has stakes in clubs in N.Y., Australia, Japan, Spain and Uruguay. The partnership with Jiuniu is "expected to be confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday." A statement on the club’s website on Monday revealed CFG CEO Ferran Soriano would be present, with reports in China having stated negotiations for the takeover "began last year." Jiuniu, based in Chengdu in the Sichuan province, was established in '06 after the disbandment of Chinese Super League side Sichuan Guancheng. It plays at the 42,000-seat Longquanyi Stadium (GUARDIAN, 2/18).
