Woody Johnson, the proprietor of the NFL’s New York Jets, is in talks over a £200 million ($272m) funding in Crystal Palace, sources advised ESPN — a deal that would clear the trail for the FA Cup winners to take part in subsequent season’s UEFA Europa League.
Palace, who won their first-ever major trophy by defeating Manchester City in Could’s FA Cup closing at Wembley, are susceptible to being barred from the Europa League resulting from a multiclub possession rule violation.
Minority stakeholder John Textor additionally owns a majority stake in Ligue 1 crew Lyon.
Though Textor has no day-to-day involvement within the operating of Palace, who’re managed by chairman Steve Parish and U.S. buyers Josh Harris and David Blitzer, UEFA guidelines stop two groups with the identical possession taking part in in the identical competitors except shares in a single membership are positioned right into a blind belief.
Textor failed to position his Palace or Lyon shares in such a automobile by the UEFA deadline of March 1 — greater than two months earlier than Palace secured Europa League qualification by profitable the FA Cup.
Nonetheless, sources have stated that Textor, whose Eagle Soccer Group additionally contains Belgian membership Daring Brussels and Brazilian crew Botafogo, is able to promote his 43% stake in Palace, with Johnson the main candidate to thrash out a deal.
Johnson, 78, served as america ambassador to the UK between 2017 and 2021 and he made a failed bid to purchase Chelsea after earlier proprietor, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, was sanctioned by the UK authorities in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Johnson has beforehand declared himself to be a Chelsea supporter. Ought to Textor offload his Palace shares, sources have stated that it might resolve the multiclub possession points that threaten the crew’s place in subsequent season’s Europa League.
Johnson bought the Jets in 2000 for $635m. In 2024, the franchise was valued at $6.8 billion, based on Sportico. Below Johnson’s possession, the Jets’ report is 173-231 (.428), which ranks twenty sixth out of 32 groups.
Earlier this yr, Johnson was the only NFL owner to receive an F grade within the NFL Gamers Affiliation annual crew report card. He dismissed the findings, questioning the validity of the survey. Beforehand, he acknowledged he wanted to enhance as an proprietor.
Data from ESPN’s Wealthy Cimini was used on this report.