Southampton FC owner acquires 70% of Turkish club

By Sam Pither

22 August 2022

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Sports Republic, the London-based investment firm which owns Southampton FC, has purchased a controlling 70 per cent stake in second-tier Turkish club Göztepe S.K..

Along with doubling the number of clubs in Sports Republic’s portfolio, the acquisition represents the first time foreign ownership has entered Turkish football.

Chairman of Sport Republic, Henrik Kraft, said: “We are very excited to announce our investment into Göztepe S.K. and add the club to the Sport Republic family. We have been working on this for a long time and are very pleased that it was possible to come to an agreement.

“The ambition of all of us at Sport Republic is to build a portfolio of high-influence stakes in football clubs and other sporting assets across the world and then use our wider portfolio of sports technology businesses to accelerate the development of those companies. We can’t wait to get started and begin implementing our strategy with Göztepe.

“I would also like to thank Mehmet Sepil for his collaboration in making this deal happen. One of our key requirements was that Mehmet stayed as a shareholder as he knows the club and Turkish football in general inside out. We very much look forward to our partnership with Mehmet.”

The remaining 30 per cent stake of the club will be retained by its shareholders. Sports Republic’s CEO, Rasmus Ankersen, has been appointed Chairman of Göztepe S.K..

He said: “Göztepe S.K. has a lot of potential for growth. It has a unique and very large following as well as a high-quality infrastructure, in particular a new and beautiful stadium located in Izmir.

“With almost five million inhabitants on its doorstep, we believe the club offers an opportunity to build a strong pipeline of homegrown talent.

“Being the first foreign investors in Turkish football comes with extra responsibilities and attention. We know it will not be without challenges, but we are committed to our long-term vision of fulfilling the potential of Göztepe.

The passion for football in Turkey is truly special and we hope that our methodology and ideas can help develop Göztepe further.”

By Sam Pither

Sam is the Regional Editor of Biz News, responsible for both Hampshire and Dorset.

A new recruit to journalism, Sam started writing for the Business Magazine as a freelancer in May of 2022 after completing his degree in English at University College London. His passion for local businesses and ability to tell a story soon caught the attention of the publication’s management team and have led to his meteoric rise.

Sam, who lives in central Reading, takes a particular interest in technology, gaming and food and drink, having been a chef before starting his degree.