Proud owners of European football clubs from Southeast Asia

Until 2017, there have been nine clubs in Europe’s top leagues owned by businessmen and entrepreneurs from Southeast Asia.

According to Football Tribe, listed below are the proud owners hailing from the region:

1. FK SARAJEVO (BOSNIA)

Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan bought the Bosnian club in 2013 for a reported $2 million. Under the brand new owner, FK Sarajevo won the Bosnia and Herzegovina Cup within the 2013/14 season, ending a seven-year trophy drought.

In the 2014/15 season, FK Sarajevo advanced to the Europa League play-offs and won the league title for the primary time in eight years.

2. KV KORTRIJK (BELGIUM)

Vincent Tan He also bought Belgian club KV Kortrijk for €5 million. The club has achieved considerable success within the domestic league and is fighting for a spot within the Europa League next season.

3. CARDIFF CITY (GREAT BRITAIN)

In 2010, Vincent Tan and his fellow Malaysian, Chan Tien Ghee decided to purchase the then championship team Cardiff City.

Cardiff City were promoted to the Premier League in 2013. However, the club were relegated at the tip of the 2013/14 season and currently play within the Football League Championship.

In 2012, Cardiff modified their traditional home colors from blue, white and yellow to red and black.

The crest was also modified to 1 during which the Welsh dragon was more outstanding than the normal blue dragon. The crest was modified to “appeal to ‘international markets'”, but angered fans who expressed their opposition in messages and on social media, in addition to on to management.

4. QUEENS PARK RANGERS FC (GREAT BRITAIN)

Malaysian billionaire Tony Fernandes He bought 66 per cent of QPR’s shares from Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone for a rumoured £35 million and have become co-chairman of the English club in 2011.

QPR have since spent three seasons within the Premier League and currently play within the Championship.

5. VALENCIA CF (SPAIN)

Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim In May 2014, he acquired 70.4% of Valencia’s shares for £420 million, becoming the owner of the club.

In their first season under latest ownership, Valencia finished fourth within the domestic league, qualifying for the 2015/16 Champions League.

However, they were eliminated from the Champions League group stage and only managed to achieve the semi-finals of the Copa Del Rey.

The real estate tycoon will likely must inject more money into the Spanish club to assist it improve its position within the table.

6. LEICESTER CITY (GREAT BRITAIN)

Leicester City caused a surprise by winning the Premier League last season and are within the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season.

Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha He played a key role within the team’s success, becoming a significant shareholder in 2011 while the club was still competing within the Football League Championship.

By winning silverware and securing a spot in Europe this season, Srivaddhanaprabha is one of the crucial successful club owners in English football.

7. READING (GREAT BRITAIN)

Thai businessmen need to increase their influence in British football by buying shares in a Football League Championship club similar to Reading.

In 2014, Narin Niruttinanonson of tycoon Cheng Niruttinan, spent £26 million to purchase 50 per cent of Reading.

Niruttinanon has pledged his commitment to Reading, revealing that the owners are working on a plan to assist secure the club’s long-term future in English football.

Reading are currently fourth within the Football League Championship.

8. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (GREAT BRITAIN)

Another Championship club owned by a Thai billionaire. Fishing tycoon Dejphon Chansiri bought the English club in 2015 for £37.5 million.

He helped the club repay debts and recently modified the crest to honour Sheffield Wednesday’s heritage in English football.

Sheffield are in with a probability of returning to the Premier League and currently sit in the highest six of the Championship.

9. INTER MILAN (ITALY)

In November 2013, after two months of negotiations, Indonesian businessman Erick Thohir became the owner of the Italian club, purchasing 70 percent of its shares from its former coach Massimo Moratti.

However, in June 2016, Thohir sold a part of his shares in Inter Milan to the Chinese company Suning Holdings Group, whose chairman was billionaire Zhang Jidong. With a 31 percent stake, he stays certainly one of the club’s owners and in addition serves as its chairman.

Source : https://football-tribe.com/asia/2017/04/11/nine-european-clubs-owners-southeast-asia/6/