Re: Eliaquim Mangala
Not sure if this has been posted but this is from David Conn and it may prove difficult to sign him today due to 3rd party ownership
"One of the Porto players Manchester City reportedly interested in, Eliaquim Mangala, is 43% owned by third parties (as of June last year)," he says. "Third party ownership of percentages of players' 'economic rights' by investors is very commonly used by the top Portuguese clubs Porto, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon. It has become a standard way for them to manage their money, selling a percentage of a player to investors to get money in without having to sell him, ie he keeps playing for them.
"The Portuguese clubs sometimes buy and sell portions of the 'economic rights' in the same player more than once. When Porto signed Mangala from Standard Liege in August 2011, they bought 90% of his economic rights, not 100%. Then by June 301 2013 Porto declared they had sold 33.33% of Mangala's 'economic rights' to 'third parties by associated financial interests contracts'.
"The clubs argue this is a good way for them to keep players longer and have more control of their players, but others, including Uefa's general secretary Gianni Infantino, argue it is a "short term solution," because clubs are financially struggling. When they do finally sell the player, the transfer fee is paid to the investors, often anonymous and in tax havens, in proportion to the rights owned. They are looking for a profit, and so more money goes out of football than came in, often huge amounts.
"Uefa, and the Premier League, want third party ownership banned. In the meantime, English football fans should presume players coming from Portugal, like Mangala, will most likely be "owned" in some proportion by investors."
