RCD Espanyol
Velocity Sport Limited (Velocity Sports Partners) acquisition · 14 Jul 2025
- Seller
- Rastar Group (via Hong Kong subsidiaries, controlled by Chen Yansheng)
- Stake acquired
- 99.7%
- Control
- Yes
- Reported consideration
- €130m
- Implied equity value
- €130m
- League
- La Liga
- Country
- Spain
- Confidence
- MEDIUM
Velocity Sport Limited (Velocity Sports Partners) acquired a 99.7% majority stake in RCD Espanyol from Rastar Group (via Hong Kong subsidiaries and others, announced 14 Jul 2025, closing 10 Sept 2025.
Reported consideration was €130m. That implies a 100% equity value of €130m (calculated by us).
Nearest pre-acquisition revenue was €39.7m (FY 2023/24), an equity value / revenue multiple of 3.28x.
- Announced
- 14 Jul 2025
- Closed
- 10 Sept 2025
- Stake after transaction
- 99.7%
- Status
- completed
Reported consideration
What the buyer reportedly paid for the stake
Implied 100% equity value
Calculated: consideration ÷ stake acquired
Reported club valuation
Enterprise value
Only shown when debt/cash near the transaction date is established
Debt assumed / restructured
Primary capital injection
Total announced investment commitment
Commitments are not purchase price and not valuation
Nearest pre-acquisition financial year: 2023/24
Revenue
Wages
EBITDA
Net debt
Net income
This is a well-evidenced deal: Rastar Group is a Shenzhen-listed parent (Rastar Toys Group / 星辉互动娱乐) so the disposal of its ~99.66-99.7% stake in Espanyol was subject to a market disclosure obligation, giving a real, exchange-anchored consideration figure of EUR130m, corroborated independently by Chinese financial media (Yicai), specialist football-business media, and the club's own statement.
- Ara.cat — 'It's official: Chen Yansheng is no longer Espanyol's largest shareholder' ↗Tier 3 · top media
2025-07-14 — “Confirms Chen Yansheng/Rastar Group ceased to be Espanyol's largest shareholder as Velocity Sport Limited (Alan Pace/ALK Capital) took over, around 14-15 July 2025.”
- Yicai Global — 'China's Rastar Gains After Revealing USD152 Million Deal to Sell RCD Espanyol' ↗Tier 3 · top media
2025-07-15 — “Reports Rastar's Hong Kong units sold 99.7% of Espanyol to Velocity Sport Limited for EUR130m (USD151.8m), half cash/half newly issued VSL shares giving Rastar a 16.45% VSL stake; deal sourced from Rastar's own disclosure (relevant to a Shenzhen-listed parent) and expected to generate ~CNY150m net profit for Rastar. Also notes a 2-year buyback option for Rastar to require VSL to repurchase 6.33% of shares for EUR27.5m.”
- Finance Football — 'Burnley Owners Buy Espanyol for €130 Million' ↗Tier 4 · specialist media
2025-07-15 — “Confirms EUR130m total consideration (EUR65m cash + EUR65m VSL shares), Rastar retains 16.45% of VSL with an option to sell within 2-5 years for EUR81m; quotes the deal statement that 'each club will remain independent.'”
- RCD Espanyol official site — 'Official Statement' (English) ↗Tier 1 · primary company
2025-09-10 — “Club's own statement confirming Velocity Sports Partners (VSP), ALK Capital's sports investment arm led by Alan Pace, completed acquisition of a majority shareholding of RCD Espanyol from Chen Yansheng and Rastar Group, following an extensive audit process; quotes Pace: 'This is not about ownership; it's about stewardship. Burnley will remain Burnley. Espanyol will remain Espanyol.' Stake percentage and price not restated in the club's own release.”
- 2Playbook — 'RCD Espanyol: Rastar presta otros 42 millones y prepara una ampliación de capital para 2025' ↗Tier 4 · specialist media
2025-01-01 · es — “Reports RCD Espanyol 2023/24 revenue of EUR39.73m (down 48% due to Segunda relegation), net loss of EUR13.76m, accumulated losses of EUR67.3m since 2020, and Rastar Group having injected EUR163m into the club since 2016 via loans/credit lines maturing June 2027.”