2014-05-20

Manchester City’s global expansion has continued with the owners of the Blues’ holding company, City Football Group (CFG), purchasing a minority stake in J-League club Yokohama F. Marinos from majority owner Nissan Motor Company.

In January, the recently crowned English Premier League champions took a majority stake in A-League club Melbourne Heart. City secured an 80-per-cent stake in the Heart while the club’s Australian investment partners, who form part of the ownership group of NRL club the Melbourne Storm, hold the other 20 per cent.

The agreement will provide the four-time Asian Champions League winners and three-time J-League champions with access to the CFG global network that consists of City, Heart and Major League Soccer’s (MLS) expansion franchise New York City FC – who will officially kick off in the MLS in 2015. In forming the partnership, Yokohama F. Marinos will gain access to CFG’s training methods, medical care, sport science, team management and coaching knowhow.

In May last year, City announced the launch of their MLS project in conjunction with Major League Baseball’s, the New York Yankees.

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