One of the features of Manchester City’s era of dominance has been the growth of the City Football Group in recent years. City’s model of multi-club ownership has established the club’s footprint all across the globe. Now it appears that the champions model is set to be emulated by their rivals. If that proves to be the case it will be a massive compliment to the Manchester City model.
Dave Powell has reported for the Liverpool Echo that Liverpool’s owners the Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are in talks to acquire Ligue One club Girondins Bordeaux. Furthermore, Powell reports that FSG believes that owning Bordeaux will give Liverpool a footprint in the French market. Lastly, Powell adds that Liverpool also believes that owning the Ligue One club could give them access to elite young French talent in the future.
Liverpool’s move is the ultimate compliment to Manchester City’s ownership and the City Football Group model.
While FSG’s move to acquire Bordeaux isn’t in any way related to Manchester City it is the ultimate compliment to Manchester City’s ownership and the City Football Group model (CFG). Since buying the club in 2008 Sheikh Mansour has built an impressive catalogue of clubs that reside in the CFG. This list of clubs is its own entity but they are now becoming a pathway to play for Manchester City. Savio’s impending move from Troyes to Manchester City is proof of this. The Brazilian winger proved himself at Girona last season which has set the scene for his imminent move to the world champions. Without the CFG model, Savio may not have had the opportunity to move to Manchester City this summer.
But now it seems that Manchester City’s rivals are now seeking to emulate the Premier League champions. It will take time for Liverpool to see any benefits from FSG’s potential acquisition of Bordeaux. But the fact that Liverpool is exploring a path cleared by the CFG speaks volumes. City’s ownership has become the gold standard in football. That City’s rivals now want to follow suit speaks volumes.
It will be interesting to see what comes of FSG’s reported interest in acquiring Bordeaux. But it is the ultimate compliment to Manchester City’s owners and the City Football Group that their fiercest rivals are now trying to emulate City’s set-up.
