The wave of foreign owners taking over English Premier League clubs is dismaying Fifa president Sepp Blatter.
”Something is wrong here,” Blatter said at the European Parliament on Monday.
Seven Premier League clubs are in the hands of foreign owners: Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Portsmouth, Manchester City and Fulham.
A senior British government official has urged the Football Association to tighten regulations over who can buy clubs.
Blatter realises he has limited influence on national legislation.
”I don’t have a remedy,” he said.
Last year, leading officials said foreign ownership brought a new edge to the Premier League, but Blatter said on Monday too much was too much.
”It is not only American investors who have come in. Arab investors are coming. We have seen one investor from Thailand, he is going back,” he said.
”Now you sell a team like you buy a shirt or whatever.” — Sapa-AP