Vitória S.C. will not become a satellite club for Aston Villa if the latter’s owners complete their purchase of 46% of the Portuguese club as expected.
That’s according to president António Miguel Cardoso, who insists the transaction is one with benefits for both sides of the arrangement.
V Sports, who own Aston Villa, announced that they had entered into an agreement to buy a percentage of Vitória, with the deal set to be voted on in the coming weeks.
Record cover the situation today, stating that shareholders at Vitória will meet in just over two weeks to decide whether or not to sell 46% of the SAD shares for €5.5m.
In the meantime the potential deal is being discussed in the open, and apparently leading to transfer negotiations with Aston Villa over a move between the two clubs.
It’s also seen current president Cardoso appear on Inquieta and Santiago, as well as in newspapers ‘Mais Guimarães’ and ‘Jornal de Guimarães’ to ‘clarify the deal’.
It was during one of those interviews that he insisted the deal will not see Vitória become a satellite club for Aston Villa, as other Premier League clubs have done around Europe.
“I can’t see Vitória as a satellite club, because we have the majority of the SAD,” he is quoted as saying.
“We only see benefits, because we won’t do anything against our will. Vitória’s problems are known, but from the moment we have a partner like V Sports, our players are worth much more. Only this partnership allows us to increase the value of our assets exponentially.
“Part of it will be used to pay Mário Ferreira (a former shareholder). The other will be for Vitória’s financial health.
“It is important that this growth of Vitória is done more quickly, but if not, we are here to make the ‘path of stones’. The members are the ones who have to decide.”
