HOLLYWOOD actor George Clooney could be the new part-owner of Málaga CF football club, according to the the Small Shareholders' Association (APA).
It has just revealed that the team's current owner has opted to sell it after a grim few years of what APA describes as 'managerial crises' caused by 'lack of funds' – and the company earmarked to buy it is linked to the Ocean's Eleven star.
Sheikh Abudullah Al-Thani of Qatar was recently forced to hand over the reins to receivers – but a US-based company is said to have offered €15 million to buy out his share, which makes up the majority of the capital.
APA claims Sheikh Al-Thani rejected this figure and counter-offered a purchase price of €100m – somewhat excessive, given that the market value of all the players put together barely breaks the €20m barrier.
Where negotiations are at present is not clear, but the as-yet undisclosed company, of which Clooney is a major shareholder, is said to have ambitions that go way beyond leading the Second-Division club to scooping up more silverware.
APA chairman Antonio Aguilera says the firm which has put in the offer has designs of turning the Costa del Sol into 'the Hollywood of Europe'.
“There's a group of very high-profile people very closely linked to film and TV production here in the province of Málaga,” Aguilera reveals.
“They've been filming serials for Amazon here – productions with enormous financial potential – and they're already negotiating.
“It seems they want to take advantage of the glamorous image of Marbella and turn the Costa del Sol into a new Mecca for the silver screen.”
Buying the largest available stake in the struggling Málaga CF seems to be a way of getting a foothold on the shores of the sun-drenched south of Spain – although nothing is certain as yet.
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