The owners of Premier League club Burnley, Velocity Sport Limited, have reached an agreement to acquire Spanish side Espanyol, the LaLiga club confirmed on Monday.
The move marks a significant expansion for Velocity Sport, which will now hold interests in both England’s top flight and Spain’s premier division. Despite the shared ownership, both clubs will remain operationally independent, Espanyol emphasized in their official statement.
“With this deal, RC Espanyol and (Burnley) will be part of this investment group, which expands its interests by having a club in LaLiga and another in the Premier League – although each will remain independent,” the statement read.
Espanyol had been under Chinese ownership since RASTAR Group’s takeover in 2015. During that period, the club experienced two relegations and two promotions, with their best finish being seventh place in the 2018-19 season. The club clarified that RASTAR is not completely stepping away, but rather its shares will now be part of the new investment entity led by Velocity Sport.
“RASTAR is not disassociating itself from RCD Espanyol, but rather its shares will become part of this new investment vehicle that will have stakes in both clubs,” Espanyol added.
Espanyol narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing 14th in LaLiga, just two points clear of 18th-placed Leganes.
The acquisition reflects a growing trend of multi-club ownership models across Europe, with investors seeking to leverage synergies while maintaining competitive autonomy.