The owners of PSG, Qatar Sports Investments, are looking to invest in a Premier League team in the near future – and have already held talks with Spurs.
According to CBS Sports, some early discussions have occurred between Daniel Levy and QSI boss Nasser Al-Khelaifi. The owners of PSG would want a minority stake in Spurs, rather than a full purchase of the club.
Last week’s meeting between the two parties, held in London, were an initial exploration of the idea; they were not advanced negotiations in any way, per CBS correspondent Ben Jacobs. In fact, the PSG owners are considering multiple Premier League sides – not just Spurs.
This could, therefore, give the likes of Man United and Liverpool hope, as they are both looking for stakeholders.
Nevertheless, the fact that Tottenham are front and centre of Qatar Sports Investments’ ideas for English club investment must be exciting for Spurs fans. Last week, they expressed concerns about the club’s direction following the North London side’s defeat to Aston Villa.
PSG owners hold investment talks with Spurs as fans question club direction
The official Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust (THST) wrote to their club board and outlined four areas that worried them.
Firstly, THST voiced concern about what Spurs’ future plans were. Additionally, they wanted clarification as to what the board would consider “progress” from this plan.
The Supporters Trust also pointed out that Antonio Conte is yet to sign a contract extension. With his comments on the level of investment needed to compete at the top, THST wanted to know if the board will back their current coach to do this.
Finally, THST demanded answers from their club’s ownership regarding investment and player signings. In particular, will the youth teams receive better funding, and is the board satisfied with recent signings? And, to fund these, will the club receive further investment in the future to keep competing with the riches of others?
Well, it now seems that Daniel Levy is trying to increase funds at his club via talks with QSI. For PSG’s owners, though, a Premier League team is just the start of their football/business plans.
Qatar Sports Investments commit to football
After the 2022 World Cup, some critics expected QSI to take a step back from football. Some even thought that they may sell Paris Saint-Germain.
In November 2022, Nasser Al-Khelaifi confirmed that he had talked with investors over parting with a minority share in the Ligue 1 giants. This may still occur later this year, with two US investors reportedly buying a 15% stake in PSG. However, do not think that this is the beginning of the end of Qatar Sports Investments’ football ownership.
Instead, they want to make 2023 a year of acquisition. In a move that would mirror The City Football Group – owners of Man City and numerous other teams – QSI want a portfolio of clubs.
For instance, QSI already have a minority ownership of Portuguese side Braga. From here, they are looking to expand globally, with England their first priority. The difference between their plans and The City Group, though, is that City’s teams will not compete against each other any time soon.
For instance, Man City are the dominant European team under the City Group umbrella. Plus, the likes of Troyes and Girona will not be in the Champions League in the coming years.
In contrast, if the PSG owners invest in Spurs, they could meet in Europe in the future. Would that cause some vested interest headaches?
Currently, this is all just a “what if?”. QSI will likely hold talks with numerous clubs in the coming weeks and months. But, if all goes well, Spurs fans may get the cash injection that they so desperately want sooner than they thought.
Featured image credit: Getty
