Sergio Ramos, a club legend and icon of Spanish football, has finalised an agreement to become the new owner of Sevilla FC. The deal was confirmed on Tuesday 12th May after intense negotiations between the footballer’s investment group, Five Eleven Capital, and the club’s current majority shareholders.
The breakthrough follows a comprehensive five-month process and an extensive due diligence audit by KPMG, one that had deterred previous bidders. The agreement in principle was finalised following a two-hour meeting between Ramos, Five Eleven Capital CEO Martin Ink, and the club’s majority shareholders on Tuesday, coming after a marathon nine-hour session the previous day to iron out the finer details.
The deal remains pending final paperwork, notarisation, and approval from LaLiga and the High Court for Sport.
The deal is valued at €450 million. As part of the agreement, the new owners will issue shares injecting between €80 million and €100 million into the club to ease its current financial situation and improve their salary limit, allowing for greater investment in the squad next season.
It is not ruled out that Ramos replaces current President José María del Nido Carrasco, which would take the del Nido family out of the boardroom for the first time in the 21st century.
The takeover places Ramos in a pivotal role at his boyhood club, where he will influence both sporting and strategic decision-making as an owner.
However, Spanish regulations prohibit active players from holding ownership stakes in the same league, effectively forcing the 40-year-old into retirement or a move abroad. Having progressed through Sevilla’s academy before a legendary career with Real Madrid and Spain, Ramos’s transition into the boardroom signals a full-circle return to his roots.
The change of ownership could not come at a more critical time for Sevilla, who have been on a downward trajectory for the past four years. For the past three to four years, there have been frequent chants from Sevilla fans for the board to resign, and widespread fury at the mismanagement of the club’s finances.
Sevilla currently occupy 13th position in La Liga, accumulating 40 points from 35 matches and sitting just three points above the relegation zone with three games remaining.
Although some bureaucratic procedures and official formalities still remain, the points of disagreement that had divided the two parties were fully resolved. The goal, sources close to the deal say, was to ensure a stable transition for the institution’s future.
