Manchester City’s owners have added to their growing, global empire by buying a stake in the Japanese J-League club Yokohama F Marinos.
The deal brings Marinos into a network which also includes the Major League Soccer franchise New York City FC and Australian club Melbourne Heart as well as City.
The partnership with the Marinos’ owners, car manufacturer Nissan, will see the four-times Asia champions gain access to the coaching, management, and medical expertise of the City Football Group.
City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano said: “We’re thrilled to be able to play a role in investing and building on the on-going success of YF Marinos. We are proud to offer a collaborative and integrated approach to the football, marketing, media and commercial development of all the clubs in the City family.
“At the same time, we are proud that each of our clubs is firmly rooted and invested in its local community as well as connected and engaged with its supporter base. We are very much looking forward to starting our collaboration.”
Akira Kaetsu, YF Marinos’ president, added: “This collaboration presents a fantastic opportunity to boost the support and growth of our club, not only in the community through youth sport investment and increased attendance, but also internationally by attracting more sponsors and supporting the national team efforts.
“Over the last four years we have undergone significant reform within the club with the clear goal of becoming a leading club in Japan and we have achieved our target successfully. Now, alongside CFG we look forward to building on that foundation to take YF Marinos into the wider Asian and world arenas.”