CRISTIANO RONALDO and Elon Musk have been urged to forget the glamour of Man United – and invest in Cheltenham Town instead.
That’s according to football finance expert Dr Rob Wilson, who says the League Two side are one of the most undervalued clubs in English football.
GettyCheltenham Town currently sit 15th in League Two and play at Whaddon Road[/caption]
Ronaldo, 40, is tipped to make a move into club ownership once he hangs up his boots.
And while many might expect him to target Old Trafford, Dr Wilson thinks he should cast his eye a little lower down the football pyramid.
Speaking to Genting Casino, the Sheffield Hallam University professor said: “I’d be amazed if Ronaldo didn’t invest in an English football team.
“I would imagine he’ll be trying to sniff around getting into a club like Manchester United as a strategic investment or a minority owner somehow.”
Musk has previously been linked with a move to buy Liverpool when Fenway Sports Group opened the door to outside investment, though no formal bid ever materialised.
But Wilson believes Cheltenham Town is the smarter play.
He said: “Cheltenham Town is a massively undervalued asset with great financial fundamentals.
“So if an investor wants to look at a football club, they would do no worse than have a look at Cheltenham Town Football Club.”
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The Robins currently sit 15th in League Two after being relegated last season and operate on one of the smallest budgets in the EFL.
But Robins thinks a megastar backer could transform the club’s fortunes.
GettyRonaldo appeared to argue with himself on the pitch in his latest game for Al-Nassr[/caption]
“The reality for Musk or Ronaldo now is, with the greatest respect, it’s pocket change to them because they are that wealthy,” he added.
“It can have a transformative impact on the club and bring a huge amount of benefit.”
But Wilson also pointed out that investors are often chasing big returns and European glory.
He added: “You’re not looking for a few million,” he said.
“You’re looking for tens of or hundreds [of millions] or Champions League trophies that you can boast about.”
Ronaldo’s former team-mate Gary Neville is a co-owner of Salford City, while the likes of Wrexham and Bournemouth have attracted big investors.
But Cheltenham could be next on the list – if Musk or CR7 fancy a footballing project a little of the beaten track.
How does Elon Musk’s net worth compare to his Premier League rivals?
By Joshua Jones
ELON MUSK is said to be interested in buying Liverpool FC.
He’s the world’s richest man – but incredibly, he WOULDN’T be the wealthiest owner in the Premier League.
Here, we run down the 10 richest owners, and where Musk would slot in…
1. Newcastle United – Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund – £538bn
Far and away at the top of the pile is the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. The PIF invests on behalf of the country’s government and therefore has astronomical cash reserves, with a latest estimate of around £538bn.
2. Manchester United – Sir Jim Ratcliffe – £29.7bn
Sir Jim successfully obtained 25 per cent of Manchester United just over a year ago. The lifelong supporter made his billions through his petrochemicals company Ineos, which has delved into sport to buy stakes in Ligue 1 side Nice, Lausanne in Switzerland and F1 team Mercedes.
3. Manchester City – Sheikh Mansour – £17bn
Sheikh Mansour purchased the club in September 2008 and has transformed them into a trophy-winning machine, culminating in the 2022-23 Treble. Mansour comes from the royal family in the United Arab Emirates and is both vice president and deputy prime minister of the gulf state.
4. Arsenal – Stan Kroenke – £12bn
Weighing in fourth is Arsenal boss Stan Kroenke at £12bn. The Gunners chief made his money through real estate development, particularly shopping centres and apartment buildings.
5. Fulham – Shahid Khan – £9.7bn
Like Kroenke, Shahid Khan has plenty of interest in American sports as the owner of NFL side Jacksonville Jaguars. He also co-owns All Elite Wrestling with son Tony.
6. Aston Villa – Nassef Sawiris – £5.8bn
Nassef Sawiris invested in Aston Villa in 2018 following their play-off defeat to Fulham. He is the youngest of Egyptian billionaire Onsi Sawiris’ three sons – with his dad launching the Orascom engineering and construction conglomerate.
7. Crystal Palace – Josh Harris – £5.7bn
Harris may only have 18 per cent of Crystal Palace but the American owner of Apollo Global Management is a big-time player. He has teams in the NBA, NHL and NFL on top of his involvement in a motorsport racing side.
8. Joe Lewis – Tottenham – £5bn
Joe Lewis first got into business through helping at his dad’s London catering company before selling it off and delving into currency trading. He is now worth around £5bn and invests in many companies, including the ENIC Group, co-owned by Daniel Levy who is worth £500m, that has full possession of Spurs.
9. Chelsea – Todd Boehly – £5bn
Boehly is the face of the new era at Stamford Bridge after fronting the £4.25bn takeover of Chelsea in May 2022. The American oversaw a staggering £1bn worth of spending in just three transfer windows in West London.
10. Liverpool – John Henry – £4.2bn
John W Henry is Liverpool’s current owner and heads up the Fenway Sports Group that runs the Merseyside club as well as the Boston Red Sox. Henry grew up as the son of soya bean farmers and used that expertise to get into business and went on to become a multi-billionaire.
NEW ENTRY: Elon Musk – £339bn
The outspoken entrepreneur’s net worth fluctuates on the value of his companies Tesla and SpaceX but he’s currently the world’s richest man. He also owns Twitter and more recently has become a political player after cosying up to President elect Donald Trump. At his current worth, he would rank as the SECOND richest owner in the Premier League.
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