This week’s KAA Gent acquisition is much needed, especially if you compare it with Antwerp, Anderlecht & co.

It’s not official yet, but KAA Gent is about to change ownership. Bill Foley has dropped out, and 46-year-old Sam Barrow of Assenidi will be the man with the Buffaloes.

Earlier, he also invested in the regional TV channel AVS, and now he wants to invest the necessary funds in Buffalo. He will take over the management of the club for 30 million euros.

capital

This means that some of the extra capital will eventually end up in Ghent. And that might be interesting given the past five seasons.

Hein Vanhaezebrouck stated several times last season: The heart was one with a few men, and the flow was particularly poor in some matches due to various injuries. This was the “financial reality”.

If we compare it to other top clubs in our country, the difference can be very big. Just thinking about the capital increase in recent years can say a lot.

In Antwerp, more than 110 million euros have already been poured into the club by Paul Gheysens, and there will also be an additional increase this summer. And in Anderlecht, Coucke & co has already exceeded 100 million euros.

Antwerp takes the cake

The Federation (26 million euros), Standard (+- 20 million euros) and Club Brugge (20 million euros) also pumped money into their club, whether through investments or parent clubs. Genk cannot do this as a non-profit organization and mainly relies on outgoing transfers as a club model.

Thus also in Ghent there were no capital increases by de Witt, Luage, or others. They once pulled the club out of difficult financial waters and avoided risk – that’s why. Maybe new things will be possible in the new era.