Spanish soccer's Sevilla have signed an agreement that will see them receive €108 million ($118.1 million) over ten years, with the aim of guaranteeing short and long-term financial stability under a new strategic plan.
The club has received the financial backing of international organizations in a decade-long agreement structured and led by global investment bank Goldman Sachs, and advised by Spanish law firm MA Abogados, investment bank Bibium Capital, and English law firm DLA Piper on behalf of the investors.
The deal involved Sevilla’s financial and legal departments, and has been supported by LaLiga's experts, with the club having been given a favorable investment grade rating.
The strategic plan includes the increase of investment in various sectors, such as digitalization, marketing, globalization and physical and online retail.
A Sevilla statement said: “The agreement will see us receive €108 million over ten years, at a very reasonable rate. It provides short-term security and means that we won't need to rely on capital increases nor financial 'levers' - the sources of capital used to pay the up-front investment costs.
“Following the financial roadmap signed off this week, the club is now aiming to generate profit in the coming seasons, prioritizing an environment of financial stability that will, in turn, strengthen our economic power.
“The agreement does not prevent us from making other future financing plans, if required. Although, currently, that does not seem likely despite the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán {Sevilla's home stadium] renovation plans.”
Club president José María del Nido Carrasco said: "This is a coherent and appropriate solution which guarantees financial stability over the coming years.
"The club is already working with a clear and reliable plan that will promote the creation of a competitive and balanced squad with great potential for growth and financial return, thus returning to a model that has already served us so well."
According to auditing firm EY, the Covid-19 pandemic cost the club €75 million over the affected years, at a time when investment in the sporting side of the club was at a record high, with the first-team wage bill reaching over €200 million in the 2022-23 season.
