Brentford owner Matthew Benham close to agreeing deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD

Brentford owner Matthew Benham is close to agreeing a deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD.
Based in western central Spain, near the Portuguese border, Merida AD are currently fifth in the Primera Federacion's group 2 with six games to play, which would qualify them for the playoffs for a spot in LaLiga's Segunda Division.
Advertisement
Founded in 2013 after two previous Merida-based teams went bankrupt, the club have been owned by British/American businessman Mark Heffernan since 2021 and they play at the Estadio Romano, a 14,600-capacity ground owned by the local council.
A former banker turned gambler, Benham is the founder of statistical research firm Smartodds and the owner of betting exchange Matchbook.
Now 56, Benham is known for his data-based approach to decision-making and has been funding Brentford, his boyhood club, since 2007, when they were in dire financial straits.
The deal for Merida AD is expected to be announced on Tuesday and it will be Brentford's new holding company that will own the club.
Under Benham's watch, the west London club have climbed from English football's third tier to the Premier League, which they reached for the first time in their history in 2021.
Benham's millions have also helped to build Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, which opened in 2020.
Merida AD will not be Benham's first foray into multi-club ownership, as he was also the majority shareholder of Danish side Midtjylland between 2014 and 2023, during which time they won three domestic titles and became known as one of the best academies in Scandinavia.
(Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

an hour ago

• Yahoo

Real Madrid ‘still not perfect,' but it owned Charlotte in FIFA Club World Cup

Charlotte belonged to Real Madrid on Sunday. That was true on the scoreboard. That was true in the Bank of America Stadium seats. It was true during the game. After the game. It was even true before the game — hours before — as Uptown Charlotte got enveloped by the 70,248 people who attended the first of four FIFA Club World Cup matches the city will host. Advertisement Everyone felt that the La Liga giant had Charlotte in the palm of its hand. Even if, by Real Madrid's own evaluation, the team wasn't the best version of itself in its 3-1 win over CF Pachuca, a Mexican club. 'Still not perfect,' Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, said postgame. 'But that's the beauty of it.' The crowd does the wave during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Real Madrid found a way to win Sunday despite being down one of the most captivating athletes in the world in Kylian Mbappe, who spent time in the hospital earlier this week and whose timeline for return is still up in the air. The team did so despite a 7th-minute red card by young defender Raul Asencio, which put the team down a man all game. Advertisement Real Madrid also did so despite many statistics showing that this was Pachuca's game. Pachuca, which competes in Liga MX, had more attempts at goal (25 to 8), attempts at goal on target (9-3), corner kicks (7 to 2). Real Madrid dominated possession — 58% to 42% — but that figure was a bit misleading toward the end of the second half, with Real Madrid up 3-1, pinballing the ball around the middle third while Pachuca tried to seize any and every chance. But what wasn't misleading? The three moments of brilliance that defined the contest. The first came in the 35th minute in the form of a connection between Fran Garcia and Bellingham, who finished off a run with a golden right-footed strike in the bottom-right corner of the net. The second came in the 43rd courtesy of Arda Guler, which was eerily similar to the score from Bellingham just before. The third came in the second half via the touch of Federico Valverde in the 70th minute — extending the score to 3-0. Elias Montiel of Pachuca scored off a strike that was deflected in the box and found the back of the net in the 80th minute to bring the game to its final score. Arturo González of Panchuca dribbles around a Real Madrid player during the Club World Cup Sunday, June 22, 2025 in Charlotte at Bank of America. Sunday marked Real Madrid's first win of the FIFA Club World Cup; it next plays RB Salzburg at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. But for as dominant as Sunday was for Real Madrid, the idea that it left a lot on the pitch on Sunday lingered. Advertisement 'It was obviously tough after Asencio got sent off,' Bellingham said. 'He's a young defender so it happens. There's no harm in making a mistake. It was a test of our character. A test of our leadership as well. I think it was important when the manager decided we had to change shape. We all took that responsibility well. We all kind of communicated with each other to make it easier for the team. 'After that, we had to weather a little bit of the storm. They had a lot of shots. (Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois) was fantastic. And then we had our chances. We were clinical and we took them. A good win.' Fans gather at Bank of America in uptown Charlotte to cheer for their team: of Real Madrid and CF Pachuca play in Club World Cup Sunday, June 22, 2025. Head coach Xabi Alonso agreed. Advertisement 'Today, I can't say that we have shown what we have tried to train in these couple of days,' Alonso said. 'Or even in the team talk before the game. Today was all about adapting to the context of where we were, with the principles to be in good shape, to have good distances, to have good balance to defend.' This isn't Real Madrid's first time in Charlotte. The squad did so in an international friendly last summer, when they defeated Chelsea FC, 2-1. So it feeling like home might not be all that much of a stretch. Fans gather at Bank of America in uptown Charlotte to cheer for their team: of Real Madrid and CF Pachuca play in Club World Cup Sunday, June 22, 2025. Simón Terran, center, and Rodrigo Hernandez, right. Plus, Charlotte is used to such spectacles. On top of the venue's regular diet of Charlotte FC contests, Bank of America Stadium has been home to the CONCACAF Gold Cup event in 2023 in addition to a bunch of one-off events. In fact, one of those one-off events was the host of one of the coolest moments in Charlotte's sports history — when a 16-year-old Charlotte FC academy player in Brian Romero forced a handball in the box in the waning minutes of the contest, then overtime, then a shootout and then a win. Advertisement That night, for Charlotte, was close to perfect. What Real Madrid did Sunday wasn't that. But to the city that came out to see them, it was wonderful nonetheless. Fans cheer as players enter the field ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Other moments to catch soccer in Charlotte SL Benfica vs. Bayern Munich on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Round of 16 (Match 50) on Saturday at 4 p.m. Round of 16 (Match 53) on Monday, June 30, at 3 p.m. Get tickets at Federico Valverde dribbles the ball away during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Federico Valverde passes the ball away from Pachuca defenders during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Vinicius Oliveira Jr. dribbles the ball away from a Pachuca defender during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring a goal during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Jude Bellingham dribbles the ball away during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Federico Valverde passes the ball away from Pachuca defenders during the FIFA Club World Cup game between Real Madrid and Pachuca in Charlotte, NC, Sunday, June 22, 2025.

New York Times

2 hours ago

• New York Times

Antonio Cordero: What are Newcastle getting and what is their plan for him?

Antonio Cordero boasts unique talent and promise — his former coach, Isaac Jimenez, describes his attacking instincts as 'innate' — and Newcastle United insiders believe he has greater potential than Ayoze Perez did when he was signed 11 years ago. Yet Newcastle's vision is for the 18-year-old winger to be just one in a long line of exciting youngsters they recruit early and develop into top-level stars. Advertisement Ideally, Cordero, Vakhtang Salia, Baran Yildiz et al will in time populate Eddie Howe's first team, saving on vast transfer fees in a footballing landscape increasingly shaped by financial fair play (FFP) regulations. But, should they fall short, Newcastle's model aims to sell such players on for a profit which can then be reinvested. For as much excitement as Cordero is understandably generating — following his teenage exploits with Malaga, plus well-documented interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona — he is not going to be immediately parachuted into Howe's senior squad once he officially joins on July 1. Instead, a loan destination is currently being identified, with a move to another of Europe's big-five leagues preferred by some inside Newcastle, given it would represent an ideal step up from Spain's Segunda Division (second tier). La Liga clubs have expressed an interest, which would suit Cordero culturally but may not challenge him enough physically, and he is also on the radars of top sides in the Netherlands and Belgium. Cordero played 60 first-team matches for Malaga, 39 of them in the second tier, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists. As impressive as that is for a teenager, there is an acknowledgement that the jump from there to an elite European league is still sizeable. Newcastle will not rush into a decision and are determined to find a club where Cordero can play regularly, test himself at a higher level and develop robustness and further tactical understanding. It will form part of a (minimum) 24-month plan which Newcastle are looking to implement for their young recruits, having learnt lessons from Garang Kuol's stuttered progression after he was signed at age 18 and then having seen the hugely significant Premier League's profit and sustainability rules (PSR) benefits of selecting the perfect loan to rapidly grow Yankuba Minteh's worth. Advertisement Cordero, nicknamed 'Antonito', is deemed to be above Newcastle Under-21s level and does not yet automatically qualify for a British work permit. Rather than use one of the four exemptions each club holds, Newcastle believe his development is best served by returning to continental Europe for 2025-26, before his situation is assessed this time next year and either another loan is selected or he pushes for inclusion in Howe's first-team setup. Reaching a point where he can compete for Premier League minutes inside 12-to-24 months will be challenging for him, however. That is despite Cordero's unquestionable potential and his eye-catching performances at the ongoing Under-19 European Championship, where he scored and assisted in a 3-1 group-stage win against host nation Romania last Monday, helping Spain into a semi-final with Germany today (Monday). Steve Nickson has been critical in the identification of emerging talent and, just as the head of recruitment spotted Perez at Tenerife over a decade ago, he was influential in luring Cordero to Tyneside, despite fierce competition. Cordero was still on the 'cadet' contract at Malaga which he signed just after his 16th birthday and, while the club are believed to have attempted to renew, they are in a complex financial situation. The player recently joined Pini Zahavi's Gol International agency — the Israeli has dealt with Newcastle before, including agreeing a contract extension for Sean Longstaff in 2022 — and the decision was made to run down his Malaga deal. Barcelona made contact last summer, alongside reported interest from Saudi Pro League clubs, while Real Madrid were scouting him as recently as April. That is not to suggest he was going to join either of their Champions League squads. For the two Spanish giants, Cordero was initially seen as an option for Castilla and Barcelona Atletic (Madrid and Barcelona's respective 'B teams'), who compete in Spain's third and fourth tiers respectively. Advertisement While those were viewed as backwards moves in Cordero's career — given he's already had a standout season in the second division — the youngster was impressed by Newcastle, who presented the most attractive and realistic pathway to immediate top-tier European football and, it is hoped, eventually into their first team. Financially, their offer was also said to be better than those of the Clasico clubs. 'I am a person who likes to aspire high,' Cordero told Newcastle's website when his signing was confirmed this month. 'Why not come to one of the best places in the world to do it?'. Paul Mitchell, the club's outgoing sporting director, has placed additional focus on sourcing top young talents during his 12-month tenure. Dan Ashworth, his predecessor, increased the budget for signing youngsters, while Mitchell has championed even greater emphasis on this area, telling others at Newcastle it is about 'safeguarding the club's future'. It will form a key part of his successor's remit, too. Newcastle recognise that the average age of many European squads is dropping and that places greater importance on signing younger players earlier, thereby theoretically reducing transfer fees further down the line. Alongside Nickson and Mitchell, Jack Ross, the head of strategic technical football partnerships, also played a part in convincing Cordero of the long-term strategy Newcastle would put in place for him during visits to southern Spain. Shola Ameobi, loan coordinator, and Peter Ramage, assistant loans manager, report into Ross and that department leads the handover process for emerging talent. They are conducting due diligence on potential temporary destinations — Mitchell said earlier this month that it's vital Cordero gets loaned to a club where he can be 'challenged and build on his experiences' — while the loans department now has a dedicated physio, strength-and-conditioning coach and psychologist who will work closely with all loanees. A right-footed attacker, Cordero operated largely from the left last season, but he can play on both flanks and as a No 10. He is renowned for his creativity and for having an eye for a goal. His first of those at senior level was a 121st-minute strike against Tarragona in extra time of the play-off final to secure Malaga's promotion to the second tier last year. Advertisement Speaking about Cordero's strengths, his former Malaga youth coach Jimenez says: 'The gesture of facing and putting the ball inside, the one-on-one, those technical gestures, knowing how to choose the moment to be vertical or to have a pause, that is innate — since he was a little boy.' Physically, Cordero has grown significantly. He was deemed slight at Sevilla and neighbours Real Betis, the club Malaga poached him from almost four years ago. 'When he arrived, he was very skinny,' Jimenez says. 'But right now he is one of the best physical players in the Spanish second division.' His mental fortitude and resilience was also noted by Newcastle during their scouting trips. Cordero was booed inside his own club's stadium, La Rosaleda, once it became an open secret that he would be leaving. Rather than be cowed by the negative environment, Cordero responded by asking to take a penalty against Granada in March, which he scored. 'The boy has a winning character, is competitive and is not afraid of challenges,' says Jimenez. 'He is not a footballer conditioned by the environment. In fact, he comes out on top.' That is certainly the hope at Newcastle. The big idea is that Cordero, like Minteh before him, either generates a huge profit or joins their first-team squad. Crucial to that is plotting his development perfectly, with a European loan the first step of their 24-month plan.

Business Upturn

3 hours ago

• Business Upturn

FIFA Club World Cup: Real Madrid register their first victory under Xabi Alonso as they beat Pachuca 3-1

Real Madrid won their first game in FIFA Club World Cup in their second fixture which was against Pachuca. By Ravi Kumar Jha Published on June 23, 2025, 08:25 IST Real Madrid won their first game in FIFA Club World Cup in their second fixture which was against Pachuca. It was also the first victory under the new manager Xabi Alonso. A great display of performance from Madrid players as they were already down to 10 men when Raul Asencio was handed over a red card for his challenge in the 7th minute. Madrid had Bellingham, Arda Güler, and Valverde on the scoreline and the final scoreline read 3-1. Real Madrid secured their first victory in the FIFA Club World Cup with an impressive 3-1 triumph over Pachuca in their second fixture, marking a winning start under new manager Xabi Alonso. Despite going down when Raúl Asencio received a straight red card for a reckless challenge, the Spanish giants showcased resilience and quality to seal the win. Goals from Jude Bellingham, Arda Güler, and Federico Valverde powered Madrid past the Mexican side, as the team produced a commanding performance even with a numerical disadvantage. Bellingham opened the scoring with a composed finish, while Güler dazzled with his footwork before doubling the lead. Valverde added the third late on to cap off a spirited display. Pachuca did manage to pull one back, but it proved to be a mere consolation as Real Madrid held firm to grab all three points and keep their hopes alive in the tournament. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Ravi kumar jha is an undergraduate student in Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia and Mass Communication. A media enthusiast who has a strong hold on communication and he also has a genuine interest in sports. Ravi is currently working as a journalist at