The Premier League, regarded as one of the best football leagues in the world, presents a lucrative investment opportunity for owners, as club fandom continues to grow each season.
With Everton becoming the latest club to come under US-ownership through the Friedkin Group, over half of the Premier League clubs now have at least one American minority stakeholder in their ranks.
| Premier League clubs owned by Americans | |
| Team | Owners |
| Arsenal | Stan Kroenke |
| Liverpool | Fenway Sports Group |
| Aston Villa | V Sports, Part-owned by American billionaire Wes Eden (V Sports) and American investment company Atairos |
| Manchester United | Glazer Family (Co-owners) |
| West Ham | J. Albert “Tripp” Smith (Minority stake) |
| Chelsea | Todd Boehly |
| Fulham | Shahid Khan |
| Bournemouth | Bill Foley |
| Crystal Palace | Three American investors combine for 81% ownership |
| Burnley | ALK Capital |
| Everton | Texas-based Friedkin Group |
In June, the Friedkin Group reached a preliminary agreement to purchase Moshiri’s 94 per cent stake in Everton, but discussions were halted a month later. Since then, the club has been in talks with American businessman John Textor, who revealed that he had an exclusivity agreement with Everton set to expire on November 30.
However, Everton and the Friedkin Group announced that they have agreed on terms for the sale of Moshiri’s stake, pending approval from English football authorities. The deal will be essential for Everton, who are also moving from their old stadium, Goodison Park, to the newly built Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium next season.
The BBC reported on Monday that the Friedkin Group is currently a lender to the club, having injected £200 million ($265 million), which could be converted into equity as part of any agreement. It has also been reported that the group might seek to recover this money if any takeover attempt fails.
The club might also participate more actively in the transfer market, which will help them rise in the standings as well.
| Premier League team non-American team owners | |
| Team | Owners |
| Manchester City | City Football Group (United Arab Emirates) |
| Tottenham Hotspur | ENIC Group (Bahamas-based British investment company) |
| Brighton and Hove Albion | Tony Bloom (English billionaire) |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Fosun International (China) |
| Newcastle United | Saudi Public Investment Fund (Saudi Arabia) |
| Brentford | Matthew Benham (English millionaire) |
| Luton Town | UK millionaire and Luton supporters |
| Sheffield United | Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud (Saudi Arabia) |
While Americans have had a fair share of ownership in the English Premier League, owners from the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia, have also started showing interest and acquiring ownership of clubs in the past few years. Clubs like Newcastle United, Manchester City, and Sheffield United are owned by Middle Eastern investors as well.
First Published: Sep 24 2024 | 3:23 PM IST
