Manchester City have a new sister club as EC Bahia have been confirmed as the latest club in the City Football Group, with Blues CEO Ferran Soriano hailing the completion of the long-awaited takeover.
City's owners the CFG now have 13 clubs in their portfolio, with Brazilian side Bahia the latest club to fall under the parent group. Bahia members voted overwhelmingly for the CFG to take a majority stake in the club back in December, with the deal completed and confirmed on Thursday.
The CFG now take 90 per cent of the club, with the other ten per cent of shares continuing to belong to Bahia.
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Soriano, who is City's CEO and also CEO of the City Football Group, said: “Today we celebrate the first day of an exciting new long-term relationship between Esporte Clube Bahia and City Football Group. I am honoured to welcome a club with such a beautiful history and such a passionate following into our global family.
“Bahia's heritage as a football team and its roots in the Bahian community are an incredible foundation for us to build something great together. From now on, we begin a journey to help Bahia reach its full potential, while remaining faithful to its people, its origins and the energy that makes this land blessed and makes Brazilian football one of the most exciting in the world. City Football Group will bring all its experience, knowledge, technology and passion to support Bahia in this trajectory”.
In a statement, Bahia said a multi-year strategy will be developed to grow the club while 'preserving the club's identity, history and central position in the local community.. Among the priorities of the CFG are to strengthen the teams at all levels, across men's and women's teams, bringing the CFG expertise into Bahia, investing in grassroots football, and making Bahia among the top clubs in Brazil.
City's relationship with Bahia has already seen the club take winger Kayky on loan, while CFG player Diego Rosa is also on their books this season.
Bahia president Guilherme Bellintani added: "Now we will be able to benefit from being part of the most experienced and ambitious football organization in the world, while strengthening our performance on and off the field, developing young talents who are the future of Brazilian football and offering even better opportunities for Nação Tricolor, which has always It was the heart and reason for our club’s existence.”
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