Expatica news

Mexican businessman ‘close to buying Malaga FC’

21 June 2007

MEXICO CITY –  Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara is close to buying Spanish second-division club Malaga, which has a large expat support.

Vergara, who owns Mexico’s Chivas of Guadalajara, Major League Soccer’s Chivas USA and Costa Rica’s Saprissa, sent a representative to Spain to meet with Malaga’s owners, who are asking for about $45 million (EUR 33.5 million), Mexico’s sports daily Record reported.

“We have moved forward, but I can’t confirm anything,” Juan Jose Frangie, Chivas’ general director, told Record, refusing to reveal the team’s name.

Also Wednesday, the newspaper Malaga Hoy published on its Web site an interview with Juan Fuster, Vergara’s business representative in Spain, where he confirmed the Mexican magnate is negotiations with a Spanish club.

“We don’t have much time to lose because the season is about to start,” Fuster said without revealing more detail.

Last month, Frangie said Vergara was looking to buy a European club and that it had sent an agent to research opportunities in Spain and Germany.

[Copyright AP with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news