Manchester City‘s owners have purchased shares in their eighth club, Mumbai City. The City Group have been aspiring to further their reach across the globe, targetting other countries next such as Brazil and Mexico, the Mail Online reports.
Manchester City’s Domination
The City Group
After Manchester City’s title successes in the past few years, the club’s strategies and investments have been very dominant in world football. Sheikh Mansour oversees the City Football Group’s operations in world football and production of youth academies.
Their operations are not only limited to Manchester. The City Group run a few clubs and hold shares in even more. With an aim to raise funds and profits, those clubs develop and sell players, Manchester City being the most successful and advanced.
Access to state-of-the-art training facilities is an almost frequent factor in the group’s clubs. The standards are extremely high, meaning the owners attempt to purchase stakes in strategically placed clubs. India is one of the most populated countries in the world- the group have taken note of it, and have invested in Mumbai City FC. Because of this, the fanbase and youth development factors are both benefitted.
New York City FC
Being a club set in a large country where money fuels sports, it was a wise investment to make. New York City FC compete in Major League Soccer. New stars, potential players and more money-making opportunities are the norms in the MLS, not to mention sports sponsorship and media coverage and promotion all over the world. The college soccer system is another brilliant opportunity. This would mean more chance for youth development and discover rising stars within the lower soccer leagues.
Melbourne City FC
Melbourne City compete in a fairly new league, the A-League of Australia. The City Football Group have invested in a league rising up in terms of viewing figures and popularity “to celebrate cultural diversity and a sporting community” as the City Group website states. With an aim to extend Australia’s youth, the club dons extensive youth development facilities and the provision of those facilities to local schools.
Girona CF
Pep Guardiola’s connection to Catalonia inspired this investment with Girona CF. Spain is one of the best footballing countries in the world, meaning this was a wise move by the City Group. Not only is youth promotion at an all-time high in Spain, but the standard of the league is a major attraction. Girona’s squad shows potential and have withheld their position in the La Liga well over the past few years since being promoted. Having the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona compete it it makes La Liga is one of the best and hardest leagues in the world.
Club Atletico Torque
Montevideo, Uruguay, is the birthplace of futsal, a game based on football which requires immense ball control and movement. Uruguay has produced the likes of Luiz Suarez, Edison Cavani, Fernando Muslera, and more. Uruguayan footballers have made history and have made appearances in top teams. The purpose of this investment was most likely to boost the connections of the City Group to the country and to identify South American talent.
Yokohama F. Marinos
Japan’s J-League was founded in 1991. A fairly new league, The City Group were interested to invest and help one of the clubs forward to mark their move into Japan – a country with big marketing potential. With the use of the City Group’s knowledge of top-notch medical experience and training methods, this means the club is able to improve their team’s treatment on the training ground.
The Next Move?
The City Group are reportedly eyeing a move into Mexican and Brazilian football, according to Daily Mail.
A move into Mexico would most likely aim to advance their training methods forward as well as nurture their youth with an aim to boost the league’s and national team’s quality. Promotion of different culture is also applied to this potential investment.
While a move to Brazil would focus on the search for Brazilian and South American talent, with football being a common practise in those countries. Fast-paced and control-based football is favoured in Brazil, meaning the City group would look to highlight those features.
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