Third-party ownership involves almost 1,100 players in Europe (KPMG)

Third-party ownership involves all or part of the transfer rights of nearly 1,100 players currently playing in Europe, according to a forthcoming report from the Spanish office of auditor KPMG Europe LLP, indicated Bloomberg on the 20/11/2013.

The study was conducted by KPMG Asesores SL for the ECA (European Club Association). The combined stakes are worth as much as €1.1 billion ($1.5 billion), or 5.7% of the European transfer market’s value, said Bloomberg, who have seen a copy of the KPMG report. The date of publication is not yet known.

The practice is widespread in 10 eastern European countries where investors hold about 40% of the market value of league players, and it is increasing in Portugal (36% of the market value of players), Spain (8%) and the Netherlands (3%). Third-party ownership has been prohibited in France and England (since the 2008-09 season, after the transfer of Carlos Tevez to West Ham in 2006).

UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) and the European Commission are considering a ban on the ownership of players by third parties in order to preserve the…