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A disruptive force in soccer ownership is looking to raise capital — and could be tapping one of sports’ most controversial ownership groups.
777 Partners has reportedly held preliminary talks with at least five different parties about financial investment per Bloomberg — including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns a majority stake in Newcastle United FC.
The Miami-based private equity firm also reportedly spoke with PCP Capital Partners, which helped broker the sale of Newcastle in 2021 and holds a minority stake in the club.
Bloomberg notes that the discussions are in very early stages and with no guarantee of any debt or equity being raised.
“We are not going to comment on any specific rumors,” a spokesperson for 777 Partners said in a statement to Front Office Sports. “That said, as part of the normal course of business at 777, we have many meetings with people in the business world as well as financial institutions. As part of those conversations there is inevitably some discussion around football.
We are thrilled with the current status of our football group, and if anything, these rumors are a testament to the strength of the portfolio we’ve built, our management team and the strong performance of so many of our clubs this season.”
After its high-profile acquisition of Genoa CFC — Italy’s oldest soccer club — in 2021, 777 Partners has made its name by investing in several clubs around the world.
- In Feb. 2022, it bought 70% of Brazilian side Vasco de Gama.
- Less than a month later, it acquired a controlling stake in Belgian club Standard Liège.
- 777 also owns France’s Red Star FC, a 15% stake in Spain’s Sevilla FC, and recently struck a deal for the option to acquire 70% of Australia’s Melbourne Victory FC within five years.
Earlier this year, the firm was in talks to invest in Premier League side Everton — but owner Farhad Moshiri has now said the club is not for sale.
777 hopes to be profitable by the 2023-24 soccer season on a collective $373 million in revenue across its portfolio of clubs.
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