Israeli billionaire Ofer to buy Atletico stake

MADRID (Reuters) - Israeli businessman Idan Ofer has agreed to purchase a stake in La Liga club Atletico Madrid, Israeli media said.

Israeli newspaper Calcalist said London-based billionaire Ofer, 62, estimated to be worth $2.6 billion, would finalize the purchase at the end of this week. Israeli news website Ynet said Ofer would purchase a 15 percent stake in Atletico.

Atletico called a news conference on Thursday at their new Wanda Metropolitano stadium to make an “institutional announcement” but did not reveal any details. The club could not immediately be reached for comment.

Israeli trading platform Plus 500 have sponsored Atletico’s shirt since 2015, paying 42.5 million euros ($50.15 million) over four years, according to the club’s accounts.

Atletico is the third most successful club in Spanish soccer, with 10 Liga titles and 10 King’s Cups to its name.

Atletico is currently fourth in the Liga standings on 23 points, eight adrift of leader Barcelona, and hosts bitter local rival Real on Saturday in the first city derby at Wanda Metropolitano.

The club, which is valued at at $732 million by Forbes, moved into the 67,000-capacity arena in September at a cost of 310 million euros according to club president Enrique Cerezo.

According to the club’s accounts as of 30 June 2016, Atletico has a debt of 483 million euros with 218 million revenues and core profit of 24.3 million euros. The accounts state that chief executive Miguel Angel Gil Marin has a stake of 54.64 percent, while Chinese conglomerate Wanda, which has the naming rights to the new stadium, has a 20 percent stake. President Enrique Cerezo has a 17.9 percent stake, with remaining shares held by minority shareholders.