Swiss lawyer and Chinese investors The sale of GC to new investors is said to be imminent
The US owners of Grasshopper Club Zürich have apparently found a buyer. After months of searching, negotiations with the Bridge Football Group are said to be nearing completion.
Grasshopper Club Zurich's ownership issue, which has been deadlocked for months, is moving forward. As reported by "Blick", the sale of the traditional club could be finalized in the coming days. Final details are still to be clarified. The Bridge Football Group is thought to be the buyer.
Fan protests force a change of course
In April, relations between the fans and the owners from the USA reached a low point. Supporters at the Letzigrund vented their anger with a "Fuck Off LAFC" banner. Shortly afterwards, the owners from California publicly declared their willingness to negotiate a partial or full sale, provided the long-term future of the club was secured.
LAFC initially looked for a Swiss solution. A local investor was to take a stake in the club. However, the talks were unsuccessful because potential interested parties were unable to meet the financial requirements.
Sobering balance sheet of the LAFC era
The results of the LAFC era are sobering. Since the takeover, GC has had to go to the barrage three times. At the same time, according to the report, the club has made annual losses of around CHF 15 million, which had to be covered by the American owners.
Representatives of the Bridge Football Group are said to have been present at the barrage matches against Aarau. The investor group is led by a Swiss lawyer and financed by Chinese investors and already holds majority stakes in several traditional clubs: the Dutch second division club FC Den Bosch, the Italian third division club Pro Vercelli and the Chinese second division club Shaanxi Union FC.
The Group's current model is based on locally anchored managers, the promotion of local players and the development of home-grown talent. The focus is on sustainable financial stabilization and long-term sporting development - an approach that is apparently also to be pursued at GC.
