Dilip Kuner
LIVERPOOL’S US owners Fenway Sports Group have officially walked away from a deal to buy Malaga CF – with Getafe now emerging as their top target in Spain.
Back in March it was revealed that FSG, the £10bn conglomerate that owns Liverpool, the Boston Red Sox and even has LeBron James on its books, had been running the rule over Malaga.
The Costa del Sol club ticked plenty of boxes – a passionate fan base, solid infrastructure, a football academy that impressed the Americans, and even a shot at hosting matches for the 2030 World Cup.
But there was one massive problem – Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani.
The Qatari owner, who still controls the club, proved impossible to deal with. Despite months of back-and-forth messages, Al Thani reportedly stalled and dragged out talks to the point where the Americans finally pulled the plug.
It means Malaga, stuck in Spain’s second tier, have missed their chance to join the global FSG empire.
Now all eyes are on Getafe. FSG chiefs flew to Madrid and were said to be delighted by the capital side’s financial stability and revamped infrastructure. Club president Angel Torres, in charge since 2002, had previously vowed never to sell to an investment fund “only interested in making money”. But with Getafe juggling the wage cap and forced into big sales – including flogging Christantus Uche to Crystal Palace for €20m just to register six new players – the outlook is shifting.
The Daily Mail reckons any sale could top €120m, with the price likely to rise further once renovations of the Coliseum wrap up in 2027.
FSG – who already own Liverpool, the Boston Red Sox, the Pittsburgh Penguins ice hockey team, and half of NASCAR outfit RFK Racing – are still hungry to expand their empire across Europe. And with Malaga out of the picture, Getafe could soon find themselves part of a global sporting stable led by one of the biggest names in world football.
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