Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan could be ready to expand his Bluebirds empire – after being linked with the takeover of World Cup icon Eusebio’s former club.
Malaysian millionaire Tan has been widely reported as the man behind new investment in Portuguese side Beira-Mar, with an agreement over past debts reached that would pave the way for his involvement and take his football portfolio up to THREE clubs.
The move could see Tan set up of a pathway to ensure Portugal’s top talent heads to South Wales in an attempt for the Bluebirds to try to snap-up the next budding Cristiano Ronaldo.
More: Cardiff City are favourites for Premier League return
More: The young star we tipped for the top, along with Aaron Ramsey and Cameron Jerome
Tan, who established links with Bosnian side FK Sarajevo last summer before completing a full takeover at Christmas, has already gone on record to state his aims of bringing the best young footballers in the Balkans to Cardiff City Stadium.
City chief executive Simon Lim said at the time investment in their academy was with the aim of producing the next Edin Dzeko for the Bluebirds.
It appears Tan has also turned his attention to Portugal with Beira-Mar – once the home of the famed Portugal striker Eusebio – as he seeks to do something similar in Iberia.
Portugal has supplied some of Europe’s most gifted players down the years, including Eusebio, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Deco and Nani.
Tan has been linked with Beira-Mar in the past when Cardiff were claimed to be ready to sign the second-tier side’s striker Willyan, something denied by the Bluebirds at the time.
But there were suggestions a link-up between the clubs had been established regardless, with fresh reports claiming Tan’s buy-in could see fringe players in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad sent to Beira Mar.
There is nothing in football rules preventing the ownership of more than one club, although Uefa does step in for clubs in the same country or involved in the same competition.
Tan could experience European football for the first time next season after Sarajevo’s Bosnian Cup triumph, but it is clear he is keeping focus on Cardiff’s bid for a second promotion after his loans helped the club to the Premier League two years ago. The City owner has funded a summer spending spree by Solskjaer to sign new players, including Spanish striker Javi Geurra, Manchester United’s Federico Macheda and Reading hit-man Adam Le Fondre.
Tan told a media outlet in Sarjaevo: “Certainly we will learn from our mistakes and refocus our efforts to do everything to return to the Premier League.”
