Chronicle Editor
English Premier League club Manchester United is reported to be in talks to buy Australian A-League club the Central Coast Mariners and relocate it to Sydney.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Manchester United officials have spoken with Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth about acquiring the club’s licence and moving it from its current location in Australia’s Central Coast, a region north of Sydney.
The Mariners have struggled on the pitch and off it in recent years, although currently sit top of the A-League table in the 2020-21 season. Last season, they finished bottom. Poor performances in recent years have been followed by low attendances and financial struggles. The team has been looking for investment. Last August, owner Charlesworth announced his intention to sell his stake in it. Charlesworth is reported to have previously had talks about a potential sale with Singapore-based investor First11 Capital and Sydney businessman Abdul Helou.
A sale and relocation of the club would require approval by national federation Football Australia and a majority of A-League clubs. The Herald reported there is already support among these stakeholders for the deal, as it is hoped it could increase interest and investment in the league.
Australian club football is in the midst of a momentous restructuring in which the country’s professional leagues have been separated from Football Australia. A new body, Australian Professional Leagues, has taken control of the operational, commercial and marketing aspects of the leagues.
Manchester United’s cross-city rival Manchester City already owns an A-League team, Melbourne City, as part of its City Football Group global network of teams. Manchester City is reported to have paid around A$13.25m ($10m/€8.5m) for the Melbourne team in a deal initiated in 2014.
Manchester United has a pre-existing connection with the Mariners – former Manchester United coach Mike Phelan became the Mariners’ sporting director in 2018. – Sport Business
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