Ever since day one after having acquired Manchester City, club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s main objective has been to make to turn this team into one of the most dominating clubs of, not only Europe, but the world as explained to supporters in a letter back in 2008:
"I am a football fan, and I hope that you will soon see that I am now also a Manchester City fan. But I am also a long-term investor and that is probably more important to the club and to you because it means we are here for the long haul and that we will act always in the best interests of the club and all of its stakeholders, but especially you the fans." said Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan acquired the English club with his, at the time, mostly unknown Arab private equity company called the “Abu Dhabi United Group” from former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who at the time held the club in the brink of a financial meltdown following his corruption scandal which resulted in Shinawatra's £830million assets being frozen, which in turn would force him to sell the team as a result of breaching the Premier League’s rules which prevent owners convicted of corruption charges from retaining control of their club.
The takeover was finalized, surprisingly, on the transfer window’s deadline day in which the club’s new owners proved their wealth by signing former Real Madrid forward Robinho to a then British transfer fee record. The Robinho signing would end up proving to be an iconic moment for the club as it now had the financial power to compete with the English Premier League’s elite for the world’s top talent’s signature such as the likes of: Carlos Tevez, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero, to name a few.
Five years later, the team’s level of play has progressed season after season, winning both the Premier League title and FA Cup, while also asserting themselves as regulars in European competition in both the Champions and Europa League. However, not only has Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan invested heavily on the team , he has also invested highly on the club’s stadium, having spent nearly £1 billion in redeveloping while also working on increasing the team’s financial revenues and sponsorships. As of now, one of the most exiting projects next in line for the Manchester City owner is that of the team’s “Football Village”. The village will consist in a heavy investment for the club’s youth academy with a home for up to 400 young players, a first team building, 11 youth pitches, four first team pitches, support facilities and a 7,000 capacity stadium for youth matches, although that might have to wait as the team’s the next ambitious plan of global expansion seems set to occur in the United States.
Ever since December of last year, there have been whispers that the Abu Dhabi United Group was one of four parties interested in owning a new expansion team from the MLS set in New York City. Fast forward to the present and the same whispers are now saying that both sides are entering the final negotiations to purchase the franchise set to be named New York City FC with the Abu Dhabi United Group reported to be willing to pay a $100 million expansion fee for the league’s 20th team , which would begin competing in the league in 2016.
The MLS is hoping that both the involvement and investment of the Manchester City owner will help the league’s pursuit of broadening football in the United States and brining both respect and recognition to the country’s football league which continues to slowly grow, having had a higher attendance percentage than both the NBA and NHL in 2012.
As for Manchester City, the club views the acquisition of a team in the United States as an opportunity to develop some of the club’s young academy players. Having struggled to get the best out of their own academy, the Manchester club could utilize this team as a perfect environment to send young players to gain minutes in a strong level of competition for the English club's promising reserve players while also being able to locate new local talent. Another aspect the team will be looking to capitalize on would be the opportunity to increase City's brand in a country with a top commercial environment.
The deal would obviously see both sides prosper if things were to work out. For now, both the league and team must wait permission from the city council and state legislators who are dealing with locals who are opposed of the building of a $340 million stadium in Queens; however everything appears to be set for Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s plan of making Manchester City a global brand to continue in the United States of America.
Source: The New York Times
