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ISKANDAR PUTERI: After taking Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) to the pinnacle of Malaysian football, club owner Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim is setting his sights farther and wider. He is considering investments in elite European clubs in the near future.
The Tengku Mahkota of Johor (TMJ) said he was still studying his options, and that he was willing to purchase a small percentage of shares with plans to strengthen his holdings in the future.
“I am open to owning shares with any elite team in Europe because I have always been interested in being a shareholder of a well-known club. For me, owning a small stake indirectly benefits me as a club owner, and adds value to JDT.
“But of course, before making any investment, I need to do an in-depth assessment on whether the club is suitable or not, apart from considering the pros and cons,” he said during a press conference at the JDT headquarters here today.
Among the clubs he is linked to are Valencia from the Spanish La Liga, Italia Serie A side AC Milan and the English Premie League’s Manchester United.
Commenting further, he said his interest in buying a stake in Manchester United came about after learning of an opportunity to own less than 5% of the club.
“For a famous club like Manchester United, it could take decades for the commercial value of the club to decline. From a sustainability aspect, they are pretty superb.
“Therefore, I will hold a meeting with them before making a decision. Apart from that, we will also evaluate any other attractive offers or better opportunities in the future,” he said.
On his plans to purchase Valencia, Tunku Ismail said there was still room for discussion over the matter.
“I’m not interested in investing with a club that has many long-standing unresolved issues. When the pandemic situation improves, I will return to visit this European club for face-to-face discussions,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium was ready to welcome spectators to watch the Super League match between Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) and Melaka United on April 2.
He said JDT would cooperate and comply with the regulations set by the health ministry and police to ensure standard operating procedures (SOP) are effectively implemented .
“I am grateful and proud that we are among the first two stadiums selected … we have strategic facilities, so it will make it easier for supporters, as well as the committees and authorities to carry out their duties,” he added.
Yesterday, senior minister for security Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that spectators would be allowed at stadiums for the Malaysia Football League from April 1.
Apart from the JDT match on April 2, the Kuala Lumpur City FC versus Sabah FC match on April 3 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras will also be part of a pilot project to allow fans into stadiums. - FMT
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