Sportsbank, a group of investors led by two Crystal Palace supporters, has announced the signing of an exclusivity agreement with Eagle Football Holdings, the co-owner of the South London club. The group plans to make a “significant financial investment” in the club.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Sportsbank, which is spearheaded by Zechariah Janjua and Navshir Jaffer, confirmed it had entered an exclusivity period while conducting due diligence. The investors, primarily from the UAE with additional representation from North America, Canada, and Europe, are set to invest approximately £230 million into Eagle Football, which holds a 45% stake in Crystal Palace and also owns French club Lyon, Brazilian team Botafogo, and RWD Molenbeek in Belgium.
“Sportsbank intends to make a significant financial and management investment in Eagle Football, supported by major international financial and strategic management investors who strongly back the Eagles’ multi-club model,” the statement read.
Sportsbank is being advised by football financier Keith Harris, who has previously worked on high-profile takeover deals at West Ham, Manchester City, and Aston Villa. However, it remains unclear how their agreement might affect a separate deal reportedly finalized this week with investors that include Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, former Morgan Stanley sports executive Bejan Esmaili, and former Roc Nation attorney Wajid Mir. According to The Athletic, this group has agreed to purchase Eagle Football’s stake in Palace for nearly £150 million, with the deal funded by Mansoor and Haider Syed, two Saudi-born brothers educated in the US.
Textor, the current co-owner, may decide to retain his shares in Palace but step down from the board, paving the way for Sportsbank to potentially take control of the club in the future. This would allow Textor to keep Palace within his multi-club network while avoiding further conflicts with chairman Steve Parish, with whom he has had a strained relationship since his 2021 investment in the club.
Textor’s ownership grants him one of four board seats, shared with fellow co-owners David Blitzer and Josh Harris, while Parish holds the deciding vote. Textor has been approached for comment by The Guardian.
In other news, Palace are intensifying their efforts to sign 19-year-old England youth international Romain Esse from Millwall, having held talks over a potential move. Esse, who signed a new contract with Millwall in August, is believed to have a release clause of around £12 million. Several other clubs, including Nottingham Forest, are reportedly interested. Palace’s sporting director Dougie Freedman is said to have watched Esse several times this season, during which he scored five goals in 25 Championship appearances. Esse would fit Palace’s strategy of signing second-tier players, with Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze both having progressed to the England senior team after joining the club.
Palace are also expected to make an improved bid for Liverpool’s Ben Doak, though they will face competition from Ipswich for the Scottish forward.
Investors boost Crystal Palace by announcing exclusivity deal with co-owner John Textor
