Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold signs deal with English club's owner after £164m development
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In a move that illustrates the tightening ownership networks at the top of the football food chain, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has gone into business with the owner of another club.
Ahead of Liverpool’s meeting with Wolves tomorrow, Alexander-Arnold‘s contract situation remains unresolved.
In just a few months time, the right-back – whose deal expires at the end of the season – would in theory be allowed to strike pre-contract agreement with an overseas club.
And with Real Madrid among Alexander-Arnold’s suitors, the 25-year-old has all the leverage when it comes to negotiations over a new deal at Anfield.
Unusually, Alexander-Arnold made headlines for a different reason last week when he was linked with a takeover of Ligue 1 side Nantes.
His reported interest was as part of the investment company Ottro Capital, in whom he took a stake alongside his brother last year.
And while Nantes’ owner has distanced himself from the Alexander-Arnold rumours, Ottro Capital are continuing to make moves in the world of sport.
Alexander-Arnold’s Ottro Capital’s latest investment
A dedicated sports investment company, Ottro Capital’s biggest addition to their portfolio was a £164m stake in Formula One side Alpine Racing late last year.
Alexander-Arnold was one of several sports stars – including Rory McIlroy and Athony Joshua – to give their endorsement to the deal.
Now, as reported by Sportcal, Ottro Capital have invested in Two Circles, a sports data and marketing firm that is partnered with the Premier League and Liverpool themselves.
In a detail that is emblematic of how small the world of sports investment truly is, Crystal Palace co-owner David Blitzer has also invested alongside Alexander-Arnold and Ottro Capital.
Alexander-Arnold’s now direct link with the company is another example of the growing trend to get celebrity backing for investment projects.
Liverpool’s multi-club project
Significantly, Ottro Capital is a spinout of RedBird Capital, the huge investment firm that own a significant stake in Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group.
FSG themselves are no strangers to celebrity endorsement and have overseen the launch of a range of Liverpool merchandise branded by NBA superstar LeBron James, a minority partner in the firm.
FSG pulled out of a deal to buy Bordeaux earlier this year, which would have been interesting has the rumours of Alexander-Arnold’s interest in Nantes been true.
The Boston-headquartered firm are still interested in acquiring a second football club and have looked at the Brazilian market among others.
