After striking a deal with Inter this week, Oaktree Capital have become the latest investment fund to become involved in football.
As reported in today’s newspaper edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the California-based fund join Elliott Management at AC Milan in taking a significant role in European football, whilst Merlyn Advisors are in place at French Ligue 1 club Lille and Oaktree themselves have a stake in Caen.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic is suggested as a contributing factor, with elite-level football now facing a liquidity problem and the opportunity for investment funds to step in and plug the gap.
This allows them to provide instant funds to struggling football clubs with a view to earning quick returns with high interest rates or holding shares that are expected to become more valuable.
Minority investment by such funds is also highlighted in a number of top European clubs, with the Lindsell Train Group holding an 11% stake in Juventus, 19% in Celtic, and 28% in Manchester United, whilst IDG Capital have a 20% stake in Lyon.