Saints Owners Add To Portfolio
The owner of Premier League football club Southampton FC, Sport Republic, has acquired a controlling stake in the Turkish football club Goztepe S.K.
The London-based investment firm, which took control of Saints in January 2022, has bought a 70% stake in the Turkish Super Lig club, becoming the first foreign investor within the Turkish football industry.
The club is based in the Göztepe and Güzelyalı neighbourhoods of Izmir, Turkey’s third most populous city.
The existing shareholders will retain a 30% stake in the club, while Sport Republic CEO Rasmus Ankersen will become chairman of the Turkish second division outfit.
Ankersen said, “Göztepe S.K. has a lot of potential for growth. It has a unique and very large following as well as a high-quality infrastructure, in particular a new and beautiful stadium located in Izmir.
“With almost five million inhabitants on its doorstep, we believe the club offers an opportunity to build a strong pipeline of homegrown talent.
“Being the first foreign investors in Turkish football comes with extra responsibilities and attention. We know it will not be without challenges, but we are committed to our long-term vision of fulfilling the potential of Göztepe”
Sport Republic Chairman, Henrik Kraft, added, “We are very excited to announce our investment into Goztepe S.K. and add the club to the Sport Republic family.
“We have been working on this for a long time and are very pleased that it was possible to come to an agreement.
“The ambition of all of us at Sport Republic is to build a portfolio of high-influence stakes in football clubs and other sporting assets across the world and then use our wider portfolio of sports technology businesses to accelerate the development of those companies.”
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