Brentford owner Matthew Benham close to agreeing deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD
Brentford owner Matthew Benham is close to agreeing a deal to buy Spanish third-tier side Merida AD.
Based in western central Spain, near the Portuguese border, Merida AD are currently fifth in the Primera Federacion's group 2 with six games to play, which would qualify them for the playoffs for a spot in LaLiga's Segunda Division.
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Founded in 2013 after two previous Merida-based teams went bankrupt, the club have been owned by British/American businessman Mark Heffernan since 2021 and they play at the Estadio Romano, a 14,600-capacity ground owned by the local council.
A former banker turned gambler, Benham is the founder of statistical research firm Smartodds and the owner of betting exchange Matchbook.
Now 56, Benham is known for his data-based approach to decision-making and has been funding Brentford, his boyhood club, since 2007, when they were in dire financial straits.
The deal for Merida AD is expected to be announced on Tuesday and it will be Brentford's new holding company that will own the club.
Under Benham's watch, the west London club have climbed from English football's third tier to the Premier League, which they reached for the first time in their history in 2021.
Benham's millions have also helped to build Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, which opened in 2020.
Merida AD will not be Benham's first foray into multi-club ownership, as he was also the majority shareholder of Danish side Midtjylland between 2014 and 2023, during which time they won three domestic titles and became known as one of the best academies in Scandinavia.
(Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)
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