Aston Villa The new partnership with French club FC Annecy will not mimic Chelsea's relationship with RC Strasbourg.
rmc sport report Aston Villa-owned V Sports Fund today signed a deal for Annecy, which will not be a classic 'multi-ownership model' that has already been seen in France with Chelsea and Manchester City's relationships with Strasbourg and Troyes.
Aston Villa as minority shareholder
According to the website, Aston Villa owners are joining the French club as minority shareholders (30%) in a deal seen as a 'win-win arrangement' focused on youth development.
French and British officials signed the agreement on Tuesday. The move will immediately take Annecy into 'a new dynamism'. This will allow the French side to face French football's financial watchdog DNCG with a clear vision for their future.
There has been interest from Aston Villa since last year. Their officials were sitting in the stands for the last match of the season against Grenoble. They were scouting France to identify the ideal location to develop a training partnership.
This was followed by a round of meetings between club officials and local personalities at Lake Geneva. Negotiations intensified during the winter. The lawyers then took it forward in the last weeks of May.
aston villa effect
Aston Villa head of development Matthew Kidson and their head of loan players Tony Cares recently traveled to France to finalize the details of the collaboration.
The investments from the V Sports Fund will primarily be used to invest in long-term solutions and player development. They are coming in as minority shareholders.
Aston Villa could also use this relationship to find local talent for their teams in England. They have done the same with cooperation in Asia and Africa.
Now they have added FC Annecy to the mix, the new relationship is being celebrated in France and presented as a win-win for both clubs.
