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737Max said:
Bet it wasn't that difficult:

Google: Hey Liverpool we want to pay you £20m a season to be a sponsor - any chance you can take a few selfies with Mo and the boys when you destroy everyone in the league and especially last game of the season?

Liverpool: Would you want the photos in portrate or landscape mode? Also can it be Mo who takes the photos, we don't want Darwin to miss the shot
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The original would have been marketing. But at the end it seemed it took numerous requests from fans too.

Loved it
 

Wrexham AFC's Hollywood Owners Eye £1bn Jackpot in Premier League Quest​

In 2021, Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney stunned the football world by acquiring Wrexham AFC, a struggling Welsh club languishing in the fifth tier of English football, for just £2 million ($2.5 million). Their audacious dream of propelling the Red Dragons to the Premier League seemed fanciful at the time, but after three consecutive promotions, Wrexham now stand on the cusp of the Championship, just one step from the top flight. Industry experts and financial data suggest that if Wrexham achieve Premier League status, their owners could be looking at a staggering £1 billion return on their investment, driven by skyrocketing club valuation, global brand growth, and unprecedented revenue streams.

A Meteoric Rise Fueled by Vision and Investment​

Wrexham’s journey from non-league obscurity to Championship contenders is unprecedented. The club secured promotion from the National League in 2022-23, League Two in 2023-24, and League One in 2024-25, becoming the first English Football League (EFL) club to achieve three straight promotions. This ascent, masterminded by manager Phil Parkinson and backed by Reynolds and McElhenney’s financial muscle, has transformed Wrexham into a global phenomenon.

The duo’s initial £2 million investment was followed by significant capital injections, including an additional £2 million post-takeover and loans totaling £9 million ($11.4 million) by June 2023. Despite reported losses—£5.1 million in 2022-23 and £2.7 million in 2023-24—the club’s revenue has soared, reaching £26.7 million in their League Two season, a figure surpassing many Championship clubs. This 155% year-on-year increase from £10.5 million underscores the commercial juggernaut Wrexham have become, with £13.18 million from sponsorships and advertising, £5 million from matchday revenue, and £4.45 million from retail, including Premier League-scale shirt sales.

The £1bn Valuation Dream​

The potential £1 billion return hinges on Wrexham reaching the Premier League, where club valuations explode due to massive broadcasting deals, global exposure, and commercial opportunities. Industry insiders point to the financial chasm between the Championship and the Premier League. “Money talks in football,” says former Wrexham captain Barry Horne. “The league table tends to tie itself to income and there’s a correlation with the wage bill. Wrexham already have that ability to compete.”

In 2024, a Wrexham board member valued the club at £9 million ($11.8 million) ahead of their League One campaign. However, promotion to the Premier League could catapult this figure into the hundreds of millions, if not billions. For context, newly promoted Premier League clubs like Luton Town, which reached the top flight in 2023 after a nine-year climb from the National League, saw their valuation soar to over £200 million upon promotion. Established Premier League clubs, even mid-table ones, routinely command valuations between £500 million and £1 billion, with broadcast revenue alone exceeding £100 million per season.

Wrexham’s unique global brand, amplified by the Emmy-winning Welcome to Wrexham docuseries, positions them to outstrip typical promoted clubs. “The club’s international following has grown exponentially, thanks to the Welcome to Wrexham series and the novelty of celebrity ownership,” notes a report from Business Matters. With over half their revenue now from overseas markets, including high-profile sponsorships from United Airlines, Betty Buzz, and Aviation American Gin, Wrexham’s commercial appeal rivals that of top-flight clubs.

Quotes from the Industry​

Reynolds and McElhenney’s ambition has been unwavering. “Four years ago, this man [McElhenney] said our goal is to make it to the Premier League,” Reynolds told Sky Sports after Wrexham’s League One promotion. “And there was understandably a lot of titters, laughter and giggles—but it’s starting to feel like a tangible thing that could actually come to fruition.”

Wrexham director Humphrey Ker credits the club’s rapid rise to strategic management and team spirit. “We always had the ambition to go as high as we could, but we have probably outstripped expectations—certainly in terms of the speed in which we have got here,” Ker said. “But that’s testament to [manager] Phil Parkinson.” Ker also emphasized fiscal responsibility: “People will talk about the money, but it’s never been about blank cheques. The aim has always been to live within our means so the club doesn’t suffer when Rob and Ryan move on.”

Posts on X reflect the financial buzz, with users like @JeremyMEvansESQ and @Needles56 highlighting the “mind-blowing” implications of Wrexham’s promotion, citing increased revenue streams and global investment potential.

Challenges and Risks​

Reaching the Premier League is no guarantee. The Championship is a grueling step up, with clubs like Leicester City, Southampton, and West Bromwich Albion boasting larger budgets and Premier League experience. Stuart Webber, former sporting director at Norwich and Huddersfield, warned ESPN: “The step-up to the Championship is huge, and some of Wrexham’s players were with them in the National League.”

Financially, Wrexham’s £11 million wage bill in League Two, set to double in the Championship, underscores the rising costs. To mitigate losses, Reynolds and McElhenney sold a minority stake to the Allyn family in 2023 and are seeking further investors to fuel their Premier League push. Yet, their commitment to sustainability—evidenced by no immediate pressure to repay loans—suggests a long-term vision.

The Hollywood Ending​

If Wrexham secure a fourth consecutive promotion by 2026, they could become the first club to rocket from the National League to the Premier League in just three years. The financial windfall would be astronomical, with a potential £1 billion valuation driven by global fanbase growth, media rights, and commercial deals. As Reynolds reflected after a dramatic 2022-23 promotion win, “I will never be the same again.” For Wrexham’s Hollywood owners, the Premier League dream is no longer a script—it’s a tantalizing reality with a billion-pound payoff in sight.
 
The Qataris could do the same thing I guess. Have a blind trust own one club and QIA own the other?

Marinakis dilutes control of Forest​

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis
Image source,Getty Images
Image caption,
Evangelos Marinakis completed a takeover of Nottingham Forest in 2017
Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Updated 9 minutes ago
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has diluted his control of the club in preparation for Champions League qualification.

Uefa, European football's governing body, has strict rules regarding multi-club ownership models such as the one Marinakis heads up.

In addition to owning Forest, the Greek businessman also controls Greek team Olympiakos, as well as Portuguese side Rio Ave.

Forest and Olympiakos are both on course to qualify for next season's Champions League, a prospect that would contravene Uefa's rules that state clubs under the same ownership cannot compete in the same European competition.

Documents filed at Companies House show that Marinakis has ceased to become a "person with significant control" of NF Football Investments Limited, the vehicle that owns the City Ground club.
While Marinakis has placed his shares in a blind trust, a Forest source confirmed to the BBC that he remains the club's owner and is still committed to the club.

The development is among a number of changes filed with Companies House in light of Uefa's rules.

Sources have confirmed the move is designed to ensure the ownership model is positioned to ensure Forest comply with Uefa's rules.

The alterations in ownership structure had to be completed by the end of April, a rule Forest have complied with.

With Marinakis stepping back, Forest's co-owner Sokratis Kominakis returns to the club's board.

Forest are sixth in the Premier League, level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea, who occupy the final Champions League qualification spot. Forest have a game in hand over Chelsea.

Olympiakos are top of the Greek top flight and are set to qualify for the Champions League.

Manchester City and Girona, who are both owned by City Football Group, were cleared to compete in this season's Champions League after changes to its control arrangements at the Spanish club.
Meanwhile, former Arsenal sporting director Edu is expected to be confirmed in a new global role within Marinakis' multi-club model in the coming weeks.

Edu left Emirates Stadium last November and has completed a period of notice with the north London club.

BBC Sport understands the Brazilian executive has been working on an informal basis since leaving Arsenal, but his appointment is yet to be concluded.

That process is ongoing amid an expectancy that his formal appointment is completed and announced later this summer.
 
Buddha said:
When on earth are these City charges going to be decided?
Click to expand...

The FA are just waiting on the “charitable contribution” cheque to clear before announcing City will be issued with a sternly worded letter about being “more nice” in future.
 
So some Reddit muppet has just paid £20m for 8-10% of Chelsea FC Women.
Conveniently, this would support Chelsea's ridiculous valuation of the Women's team at £200m which they needed to sustain their PSR calculations.
In the real world, no-one pays full-whack for a small, minority stake.
Fishy. I hope the Premier League investigates this properly.
 
@Beamrider

I saw some reports that the EU Commission (or whatever it is) isn’t likely to do a full investigation into the stuff that Tebas put forward about City & PSG and state funding.

They’re likely to drop in on the basis of too hard to get a conviction.

I feel like this is foreshadowing the EPL charges - there’s so much that can’t be proven to a high enough standard that the best lawyers money can buy won’t find a way of either getting it chucked out or present you with the ootion of having to spend an absolute fortune with a high chance of failure.
 
StevieM said:
@Beamrider

I saw some reports that the EU Commission (or whatever it is) isn’t likely to do a full investigation into the stuff that Tebas put forward about City & PSG and state funding.

They’re likely to drop in on the basis of too hard to get a conviction.

I feel like this is foreshadowing the EPL charges - there’s so much that can’t be proven to a high enough standard that the best lawyers money can buy won’t find a way of either getting it chucked out or present you with the ootion of having to spend an absolute fortune with a high chance of failure.
Click to expand...
Tebas was talking about the stuff I found with them shifting costs out of the football club and into side companies. He said that the EU commission had decided not to pursue it, that was why he mentioned it, because he wanted people to know what they were up to even if they didn't get done for it.
But it's worth noting that UEFA have already ruled against City on the first leg of that scheme. City were fined and censured by UEFA’s disciplinary body in May 2014 and, as part of the settlement, it was agreed that “revenues from the sale of assets within their group structure will not be included in future break-even calculations”. Incidentally, this would also have given Chelsea a problem, but UEFA's rules aren't based on profit now, they gear off turnover / wages / amortisation / profits on sale of players.
It looks like UEFA did not appreciate at that time that City were going to use that structure to take costs out of their books and didn't rule against them on that basis. They, not unreasonably, assumed City would price the charges between the companies properly, which obviously they didn't (and when the ruling was made, City would not have published accounts to show otherwise).
But if the PL FFP panel is considering this aspect of their "planning", the fact UEFA wasn't having it on the first leg will go against them. In 2014 they just got a fine (£48m, of which £32m was suspended) and a reduced squad size for the Champions League.
Anyway, Arne's boys are going to twat them regardless.
 
Breakdown of Liverpool’s Potential 2025/26 Turnover

Liverpool’s revenue streams include commercial, matchday, and broadcasting income. Their 2023/24 turnover was a club-record £613.8 million, despite no Champions League participation, with commercial revenue at £308.4 million (50% of total revenue), matchday at £100 million, and broadcasting at £205.4 million. The 2024/25 Premier League title and Champions League participation, combined with the new kit deal and commercial growth, could significantly boost these figures for 2025/26.
  1. Commercial Revenue:
    • Adidas Kit Deal: Liverpool’s new five-year Adidas contract, starting August 2025, is expected to generate over £60 million annually, doubling the base £30 million from their Nike deal. With 20% royalties on merchandise sales, the Nike deal already yielded £122.8 million in 2023/24 (fourth in Europe, tied with Manchester United). The Adidas deal, leveraging Liverpool’s global brand and 2024/25 title, could push kit revenue toward £130–150 million, aligning with top clubs like Real Madrid (£164.8 million) and Barcelona (£143.8 million).
    • Other Commercial Deals: Commercial revenue grew 13% to £308.4 million in 2023/24, driven by partnerships with UPS, Google Pixel, Peloton, Orion Innovation, and extensions with Carlsberg and Kodansha (worth ~$12.65 million/year combined). New deals and renewals, plus Liverpool’s title-winning brand appeal, could increase commercial revenue by 10–15%, potentially reaching £340–360 million.
    • Total Commercial Estimate: £340–360 million, with the Adidas deal and global market expansion (e.g., Asia, North America) as key drivers.
  2. Matchday Revenue:
    • The 2023/24 season saw matchday revenue exceed £100 million for the first time, boosted by the Anfield Road End expansion (7,000 seats, 1,800 premium). The 2024/25 Premier League title and Champions League home games (minimum four in the new 36-team league phase) could increase matchday income by 10–20%, especially with premium hospitality and higher ticket demand. An estimate of £110–120 million is reasonable.
  3. Broadcasting Revenue:
    • Champions League: Liverpool’s 2024/25 title ensures participation in the 2025/26 Champions League, which has an expanded format (36 teams, eight league-phase matches). In 2023/24, Liverpool earned ~£100 million from Europa League and domestic broadcasts. The Champions League could yield €100–120 million (£85–102 million) depending on performance, with €52.5 million (£44 million) for winning and €5 million for the Super Cup. Deep runs could push this to £110–130 million.
    • Premier League and Domestic: Broadcasting revenue was £205.4 million in 2023/24, despite no Champions League. The 2024/25 title added ~£56.4 million in merit payments, and new Premier League TV deals for 2025/26 will increase payouts due to more broadcast matches. This could raise domestic broadcasting to £220–240 million.
    • Total Broadcasting Estimate: £300–350 million, factoring in Champions League success and enhanced TV deals.
Total Turnover Projection
  • 2023/24 Baseline: £613.8 million (commercial £308.4m, matchday £100m, broadcasting £205.4m).
  • 2025/26 Estimate:
    • Commercial: £340–360 million
    • Matchday: £110–120 million
    • Broadcasting: £300–350 million
    • Total: £750–830 million
 
They deserve credit even for that. He was their no.1 choice from the minute they arrived - if he'd been prepared to walk out on Dortmund he'd have got here almost as early as they did (though the fact that he wasn't just underlines how right they were to prioritise him).
 
Two FSG signings always felt sure to work, and we were lucky to get them back in the dark days. Suarez and Kloppo. Suarez was exceptional in the 2010 World Cup, and Klopp was Klopp by then.
 
localny said:
we really are. As owners go, you won't find better than FSG. Really smart decision making, and an emotionally intelligent culture. Kloppo really helped take them to the next level.
Click to expand...
Nope. They're cnuts. Useless, inept, incompetent, soulless failures, who done absolutely NOTHING to make us good again... 100% of all of this is in spite of them. It's all luck. Just ask around.
 
Buddha said:
We are a supremely well run club it seems, at least compared to our rivals (beyond the cheaty ones)
Click to expand...

Yup. Here is what Slot had to say about the way we approached him.

Slot is doing his due diligence, just as Liverpool did theirs when appointing him. He had been scarred by managerial beauty parades at other clubs, when he was among a host of candidates considered by Tottenham in 2023 and when he chose to stay in his native Netherlands.

“I'm only interested if they want me as the only one. I told my agent that if I am one of three I am not interested. I didn't want to go into another summer where I had to do all these kinds of meetings and then waiting, waiting, waiting,” he said. “My time at Feyenoord was too good.”

Then along came Liverpool, with sporting director Richard Hughes showing his research. “I didn't have to open my laptop one time to show them what I did or how I worked,” Slot recalled. “They knew everything about me. There was never one second of a doubt and that had largely to do with the fact why they wanted me and how they tried to convince me to come.”

Hughes was well-briefed. “He knew many, many, many games and many of the assessments I've made during games [like] the changes I made in tactics. Julian [Ward, the former sporting director], visited the [Feyenoord] training ground, so he spoke with a lot of people trying to get some knowledge from the club and how I worked over there. He spoke with multiple people, so there was not a stone unturned.”

That rigorousness offers Slot encouragement for the transfer window. “This is also the way we try to bring players in,” he said. “It is a thorough process.”

www.independent.co.uk

Arne Slot reveals bold ambition to match Jurgen Klopp in one key area

Slot has delivered a Premier League title in his first season as Liverpool boss but is now eyeing something even more remarkable
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
Whaddapie said:
Nope. They're cnuts. Useless, inept, incompetent, soulless failures, who done absolutely NOTHING to make us good again... 100% of all of this is in spite of them. It's all luck. Just ask around.
Click to expand...

In fairness, there's a few hundred in this site, and just three tops, share that view. Don't be amplifyin'! 🤣
 
localny said:
In fairness, there's a few hundred in this site, and just three tops, share that view. Don't be amplifyin'! 🤣
Click to expand...
Fair point.

But they say it soooooooooooooooooo fuckin' often, and sooooooooooooooooooo loudly, it FEELS like it's 25% of the posts we read lately.
 
@Beamrider why do you think Real have started to act frugal? They got Trent, and apparently told Alonso they don't have the money pursue his top targets. Is there some scandal around the corner that may come there way? They have shown defensively they are weak and in MF without Kroos and Modric they have a very weak glue. In attack they have Vinny and Mbappe but they have shown they needs a 3rd option too
 
bluebell said:
@Beamrider why do you think Real have started to act frugal? They got Trent, and apparently told Alonso they don't have the money pursue his top targets. Is there some scandal around the corner that may come there way? They have shown defensively they are weak and in MF without Kroos and Modric they have a very weak glue. In attack they have Vinny and Mbappe but they have shown they needs a 3rd option too
Click to expand...

I thought it was well known that stadium renovation costs had led to them winding in their neck a bit over transfers.
 
bluebell said:
@Beamrider why do you think Real have started to act frugal? They got Trent, and apparently told Alonso they don't have the money pursue his top targets. Is there some scandal around the corner that may come there way? They have shown defensively they are weak and in MF without Kroos and Modric they have a very weak glue. In attack they have Vinny and Mbappe but they have shown they needs a 3rd option too
Click to expand...
I don't think it's about them, more about who they are buying from, as I'll explain. There may also be some funnies with the way Spain's FFP works. I've never really understood that but it bit Barca hard and might do the same to Madrid if they're not careful. This may be a strategy to manage that, but I actually think it's more likely to be ego-driven.
I suspect they might have had a penny-drop moment with the Mbappe deal. The wages and signing-on fees are astronomical, but come out about the same as a "normal" deal for a striker with a transfer fee. These deals are effectively giving more to the players, so I think they're looking at it in terms of keeping their advantage by paying obscene wages, but as a club they have an allure (for Hispanic players at least) and don't need to out-pay other clubs, just match them.
But I wonder whether there's an element of trying to squeeze clubs who are genuine rivals by denying them transfer fees. Objectively, why would you be happy to splash £50m on Huijsen, still a risk at such a young age, but then baulk at an extra £20m for the finished article in Konate - an established player and a leader to boot? Maybe the answer is you don't mind enriching Bournemouth (or some relatively lowly South American team as with Endrick and Vinicius) as they're no threat to you, but you don't want to give money to Liverpool or PSG (but honestly, PSG make their finances up anyway). Bellend and Dortmund probably fall in the middle somewhere. Would they be that petty? I think they would. Is there some dick measuring involved too? Yeah, probably. Their (failed) pursuit of Alphonso Davies meets the pattern too - wanted him on a free from a genuine rival club. Arguably Rudiger and Alaba the same.
 
Just to add that they have obviously spent hugely on the Bernabeu project. Per the 2024 accounts the outlay was up to c €1.2bn, entirely debt funded at an average rate of 3.2%. That's pretty cheap and the extra revenue from the stadium will more than fund the interest and principal repayments (although they're interest only for the next few years), so I don't think that is imposing financial restraints on them. They had €200m+ in cash at 30 June 2024 and plenty of un-drawn bank facilities. If it's not (Spanish) FFP then this isn't something that's being imposed on them, it's a choice. They'll be fine under UEFA's FFP rules.
 
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