Blatter Concerned Over Foreign Owners

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has reiterated his concern over the large amount of money being pumped into English Premier League clubs by rich foreign owners.

Blatter says the amount of cash in the Premier League gives English clubs an advantage over their European rivals.

‘In France, Germany and Spain there are by-laws that say owners must be from the same country,’ said Blatter.

‘This does not exist in the Premier League and it is a problem we must address.’

Nine of England’s 20 Premier League clubs are foreign owned, and several, including Chelsea and Manchester City, are likely to invest heavily this summer.

Manchester City have bid about £25m for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o, and are reported to have offered the Cameroon striker wages of up to £250,000 per week, which would make him the highest-paid player in the world.

However despite Blatter’s fears, the biggest spenders so far in Europe this summer are Spain’s Real Madrid, who are owned by their rank and file members.

Real Madrid’s purchases of Kaka from AC Milan for about £56m and Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for about £80m have reportedly been partly financed by loans totalling £128m from Spanish banks.

British law would have to be changed to restrict foreign investment in the Premier League, something that Blatter accepts is not going to happen.

‘We have no right to interfere in economic movements. We, the whole FIFA family, are aware of this,’ he said.