A new investment fund has been set up by former Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and Ronaldo’s and Jose Mourinho’s agent Jorges Mendes to invest in the economic rights of football players. Registered in Jersey, the Quality Sports Investment LP Fund has been seeking a minimum of £1m each from 15 wealthy investors and it would appear that most of the money needed has been raised.
A new investment fund has been set up by former Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and Ronaldo’s and Jose Mourinho’s agent Jorges Mendes to invest in the economic rights of football players. Registered in Jersey, the Quality Sports Investment LP Fund has been seeking a minimum of £1m each from 15 wealthy investors and it would appear that most of the money needed has been raised.
The money is to be invested either by becoming a funding partner with clubs with a pedigree for developing young talent in return for a share of any future returns when new players are sold or by investing directly in the contracts of certain players which would also lead to a return when the player was sold on.
Third party righs are controversial in England and the football authorities have tried to ensure that no player can be owned by anyone than their club. Queens Park Rangers were recently charged with seven breaches of FA rules for failing to notify the authorities of third party agreements involving one of their players.
However, there is no suggestion that the fund would invest in English or English based players and any players sold to British clubs would be divested of their third party ownership. This might have to happen quite often given the active and well funded transfer market in England.