FACTBOX-Foreign ownership of Premier League clubs

Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:52pm GMT
 
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(Reuters) - English Premier League strugglers Derby County named U.S.-based General Sports and Entertainment (GSE) as their new owners on Monday.

The club said the investment was in the form of cash, and not debt, and that the financial future of the club was underpinned.

Here are some other Premier League clubs who now have foreign owners.

* ASTON VILLA - American billionaire Randy Lerner completed his takeover of Aston Villa last September for 62.6 million pounds after securing the required 90 percent of the Birmingham club's shares.

-- The Cleveland Browns owner installed himself as chairman of Villa, taking the place of Doug Ellis who stepped down after 38 years at the Midlands side.

* CHELSEA - In July 2003 Russian businessman Roman Abramovich agreed to buy the company that owned Chelsea in a deal which valued it at nearly 60 million pounds.

-- Under the cash offer, Abramovich, through his English offer vehicle Chelsea Ltd, agreed to purchase 84.9 million Chelsea Village shares at 35 pence each, just over half of its entire issued share capital.

-- Abramovich has spent millions on the club since 2003 and has been rewarded with Chelsea winning successive Premier League titles and domestic cups.

* FULHAM - In 1997 Egyptian-born businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, owner of top London department store Harrods, invested 30 million pounds in Fulham and took over as chairman after agreeing to acquire a controlling stake.  Continued...

 

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