Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) have assumed full control of French giants Paris Saint-Germain after purchasing the final 30 per cent of the Ligue 1 leaders from US investment fund Colony Capital, according to a company source.
The source said that the sale “was envisaged from the start” and comes after QSI had already bought 70 percent of Colony’s controlling stake in PSG a little less than a year ago.
The financial news site Wansquare earlier reported that the transfer price of the balance of Colony’s shares puts the club’s overall value at €100million or 30 percent more than the price QSI paid last May to take control.
Colony have refused to comment on the claims, but should they proven to be true the news will be another significant step in QSI’s vision “to make the club a great team and a strong brand on the international scene.”
The cash-rich Qataris, headed by Nasser Al-Khelaifi who is also president of Doha-based Al Jazeera television, have made their intentions clear having invested over €100 million in the playing squad as they look to challenge for honours both domestically and abroad.
Former Chelsea and AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as boss at the end of last year following the sacking of Antoine Kombouare, despite the club topping the Ligue 1 table as they chase a first league title since 1994.
Al-Khelaifi was quoted as saying by Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport on Tuesday that he expected to invest another €100million in the transfer market in the coming years as they look to establish themselves as dominant players in European football.
The figure was “normal for a top-ranking club” he said, adding: “We prefer to invest a lot and immediately. We will spend this amount for the next five or six years then the investments will slow.”
Among the big-money signings since QSI took over at the Parc des Princes were Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore, who was bought last year from Palermo for a league-record €42million, as well as French internationals Blaise Matuidi, Jeremy Menez and Kevin Gameiro.
In all 11 big-name recruits have arrived over the past 10 months or so, helping PSG to maintain their title charge as they are currently one point ahead of Montpellier with 12 games remaining.
