
Polish parcel locker network InPost buys UK delivery firm Yodel for £106m
The UK parcel delivery company Yodel has been snapped up by the Polish parcel locker firm InPost in a £106m deal that will create the third largest independent delivery business serving online retailers in Britain.
The takeover will expand InPost's footprint in the UK, taking its market share from 2% to 8%. It comes only months after the Polish operator completed a separate takeover of another UK logistics company – Menzies Distribution – in October last year.
InPost, which placed its first locker in Kraków in 2009, said the takeover would combine its drop-off and collection network with Yodel's home delivery capabilities, 'seamlessly integrating out-of-home and to-door solutions' under a single brand.
It estimates the takeover will result in the combined business delivering more than 300m parcels in the UK a year, serving more than 700 online retailers. The deal also means that the UK will now make up about 30% of the group's revenue.
'This acquisition marks a pivotal milestone in InPost's journey to revolutionise the UK delivery market, as well as the group pan-European presence,' Rafał Brzoska, the founder and chief executive of InPost Group, said in a statement.
'We have just fast-forwarded five years of organic expansion in the UK and it is a clear reflection of our long-term commitment to this market, a market where we see enormous opportunity for growth. Our logistics model has transformed delivery in other European markets, and with this acquisition, we are now well positioned to do the same here.'
The deal will entail InPost acquiring 95.5% of Yodel's parent company, Judge Logistics Ltd, in a debt-to-equity arrangement in which a loan worth £106m will be converted into equity shares. PayPoint will retain a minority 4.5% stake in JLL.
Once the deal is completed, the combined company will be the third largest independent logistics business serving the UK e-commerce industry, behind Royal Mail and Evri – but excluding Amazon – InPost said.
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It follows the £3.6bn takeover of Royal Mail's parent company International Distribution Services by the Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský, amid an industry shake-up fuelled by a boom in online shopping and parcel deliveries.
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Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Premier League stadiums of the future with eight clubs splashing out £6BILLION on new grounds and major transformations
Scroll down to see how each club is planning on making major changes GROUND BREAKING Premier League stadiums of the future with eight clubs splashing out £6BILLION on new grounds and major transformations THE Premier League has become a dominant force in European football, attracting the best players, biggest viewing figures and making the most money. And as the league continues to grow - both financially and in reputation - clubs are trying to grow alongside it. Advertisement 36 Tottenham have set the standard for modern stadiums with their £1billion home Credit: EPA 36 Fulham have added a swimming pool to Craven Cottage Credit: Fulham FC Gone are the days of being able to get away with a warm pint and a cold pie at half time as fans try and cram into the terraces to sit on wooden seats. Now teams want architectural masterpieces as their homes with luxury hospitality areas, top tier food and drink, and a concourse that would make you debate even going back out to watch the second half. Tottenham have set the standard with their £1BILLION stadium built in 2019, fit with a retractable NFL pitch, in-house micro brewery and the perfect view from every seat. While other clubs have started to renovate their historic grounds, such as Fulham putting a SWIMMING POOL in their new Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL BRAVE NEW WORLD Gary Lineker agrees deal with new broadcaster just a week after MOTD exit Nobody wants to be left behind in the new revolution of what a football ground can look like, with EIGHT Premier League clubs now working on plans to improve their facilities too. Here SunSport breaks down what those eight clubs are planning and just how much it could all cost... MANCHESTER UNITED Cost : £2billion : £2billion Opening date : 2030 : 2030 Capacity: 100,000 36 Manchester United unveiled plans to build a 100,000-seater stadium 36 Old Trafford will be demolished and new ground will be built on adjacent land Advertisement 36 The new ground promises to be the largest football stadium in England 36 United have vowed to build the fan experience zone of the future 36 Sir Jim Ratcliffe believes United should have the best stadium in the world Man Utd have the biggest club stadium in the UK, but they want it to be even bigger. Advertisement The Red Devils announced earlier this year that they are planning a £2BILLION project that will see them build the 'Wembley of the North'. United's execs, led by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, are planning on making the stadium large enough to house 100,000 FANS. The club have put a rather ambitious five-year timeframe on the new stadium, especially given their dire financial straits at the moment. Architects at Foster and Partners, who will design the project, said the stadium would feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is "twice the size of Trafalgar Square". Advertisement Man Utd had explored the idea of expanding Old Trafford, but instead landed on the decision to create what will be the largest football stadium in the country - gazumping Wembley's 90,000-seat capacity. It won't just be an incredible stadium either, United have also confirmed the surrounding area will be regenerated as part of a joint venture with the the government and local council - including the addition of 17,000 new homes. As for the stadium itself, concept images tease a huge wraparound scoreboard, along with a three-storey museum and canal-side restaurants as part of a vast fan village. Things haven't got underway just yet, but when they do United will be able to continue playing at Old Trafford during the construction process, before demolishing the historic ground once they move into their new home. Advertisement Sir Jim Ratcliffe said of the incredible plans: "Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. "By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience, only footsteps from our historic home." MANCHESTER CITY Cost : £300million : £300million Opening date : 2025/26 season : 2025/26 season Capacity: Over 60,000 Inside Man City's £300MILLION new stadium upgrade with futuristic Etihad project to rival Anfield 36 Manchester City are redeveloping the Etihad Stadium Credit: Man City 36 City are in the midst of an incredible redevelopment of the North Stand Credit: Man City Advertisement 36 The Etihad will have the largest safe-standing are in the Premier League after the redevelopment is complete Credit: Man City 36 The project will also add a fan park for supporters on matchdays Credit: Man City 36 Work has already started on expanding the North Stand Credit: Rex Just four miles down the road from United's Old Trafford is another stadium in the midst of a mega redevelopment. Advertisement Neighbours and rivals Manchester City have been investing their unlimited pot of cash into turning the Etihad Stadium into one of the best arenas in world football. At its current reduced capacity of 52,900, due to the ongoing work on a new expansion, the Etihad is only the seventh largest capacity football stadium in England - not particularly fitting for the best team in the country over the last seven years. Plans to redevelop and add more seats in the North Stand would likely see it become the fifth largest ground in the country, boasting a similar capacity to title rivals like Arsenal and Liverpool's grounds. The plans, which are due to be completed during the 2025/26 season, will reportedly add around 7,000 seats to the stadium. Advertisement But it's not just about more fans, it's also about increasing the noise and atmosphere in process. For City, that means adding a huge standing area of the Etihad crowd. That expansion will include 3,000 safe-standing rail seats, making it the Premier League's largest safe standing area. Away from adding more seats, City are also adding brand new hospitality area, which will house 800 guests and include a 500-seat food hall and a premium bar. Plus fans can look forward to an incredible Sky Bar with views overlooking the pitch and a stadium roof walk experience. Advertisement Work is also underway on the 'City Square fan zone', a 3,000- capacity fan zone that will offer up food and drink as well as screens for supporters to watch the match on the Etihad campus. A new club shop and a museum will also be added to the surrounding area to help improve on the matchday experience. And if you're wondering where you can stay nearby to be close to all the action then City have you covered - they're also building a 400-bed hotel. LEEDS UNITED Cost : £100million (estimated) : £100million (estimated) Opening date : Late 2030 : Late 2030 Capacity: 53,000 36 Leeds released mock-ups of their home ground renovation Advertisement 36 The stadium will see a significant increase in capacity Credit: X @LUFC 36 The estimated final capacity of Elland Road will be 53,000 Credit: X @LUFC 36 The plans are set to be completed in 2030 Credit: X @LUFC Leeds United secured a return to the Premier League thanks to their 100-point tally in the Championship this season. Advertisement And along with their promotion back into the top flight, Leeds have announced plans for a mega renovation of their iconic Elland Road stadium. The Yorkshire club have revealed plans to rake their current capacity of 37,645 up to an estimated 53,000 - making it one of the largest grounds in the country. Concept art released by Leeds shows a new look to the 128-year-old stadium. New stands will tower over the old brick of the ground and make for a combination of history and future for the club now owned by 49ers Enterprises - the ownership group in charge of the NFL franchise San Francisco 49ers. Advertisement An increase of nearly 20,000 seats - which will help burn through the club's 26,000-strong season ticket waiting list - will mean updates to the West and North Stands and a change to the South Stand. While there is no specific details of what additions will be made yet, Leeds have confirmed they will be making improvements to the general admission and hospitality facilities. A statement told that fans can expect 'diverse range of spaces and experiences' that will 'encourage early arrivals and extended stays'. Leeds have revealed that work will begin this September, but changes to the stands won't start until 2026. Advertisement However, the club have estimated that the renovation won't be completed until late 2030. At the moment there has been no estimated figure for how much the project could cost the club, but similar renovations have exceeded £100million. ASTON VILLA Cost : Over £100million : Over £100million Opening date : Second half of 2027 : Second half of 2027 Capacity: Over 50,000 36 Aston Villa announced plans to expand the North Stand at Villa Park Credit: Aston Villa FC 36 Villa want the stadium to breach the 50,000-seat mark Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement 36 The club have claimed there will be more space and faster service Credit: Aston Villa FC 36 A new club shop was opened earlier this season Credit: X @AVFCOfficial 36 Aston Villa to build Premier League's largest beer hall in 'The Warehouse' Credit: X @AVFCOfficial 36 A mockup image shows what the inside of 'The Warehouse' could look like Credit: X @AVFCOfficial Advertisement Villa Park is one of the Premier League's most iconic football grounds, standing in place since 1897 with its iconic red brick facade. But one issue with having such a long history as a ground is that things start to become outdated. Villa have now announced that they want to modernise their ground, changing the look and feel of the concourse and adding over 7,000 seats to the stadium. The Birmingham club want to breach the 50,000-seat mark, leaving their current 42,660-set offering in the past. Advertisement For Villa, it's not just about getting more bums on seats on a matchday, but also allowing them to be better hosts for the 2028 Euros. Villa Park is one of the host stadia for the tournament and will have a new look for the fans across Europe who come to visit. Mockups of the plans show a new modernised exterior, a brand new North Stand wrapping into the Trinity Stand and a two-story club shop. While there will also be the addition of a new multi-use space called 'The Warehouse' - which will include a new Fan Zone destination. Advertisement Villa plan on putting the Premier League's largest beer hall inside The Warehouse. LEICESTER CITY* Cost : Unknown : Unknown Opening date : Delayed, work to begin 2026 : Delayed, work to begin 2026 Capacity: 40,000 36 Leicester revealed plans to extend the King Power stadium in 2021 Credit: Leicester City Football Club 36 The club hope to increase the capacity to 40,000 Credit: Leicester City Football Club 36 The Foxes have had to delay the plans Credit: Leicester City Football Club Advertisement 36 The proposals also include plans for a hotel and indoor arena Credit: Leicester City Football Club Leicester may not be in the Premier League next season after their relegation this term, but they are strong contenders to bounce straight back up. Their plans for a stadium development of the King Power were announced all the way back in 2021, and have been delayed multiple times. The Foxes announced a project to increase the stadium capacity from 32,261 up to 40,000 - with a major change to the look of the ground too. Advertisement Initial plans showed a bubble-like look on the roof of the ground, a custom-built fanzone, a flasgship superstore and a 220-room hotel and business centre right next to the stadium. While the proposal also detailed a 6,000-capacity multi-purpose arena that would be side by side with the King Power, with plans to host concerts and indoor sporting events. However, the club were supposed to break ground in 2023, with an earliest expected completion date of late 2024. We're now in mid 2025 and no construction has begun, Leicester have been relegated from the Premier League twice and work starting on the ambitious plans have been delayed until at least 2026. Advertisement There is currently no estimate on how much the project could set back the Leicester owners. NOTTINGHAM FOREST Cost : £130million : £130million Opening date : Unknown, work estimated to begin in 2026 : Unknown, work estimated to begin in 2026 Capacity: 42,000 36 Nottingham Forest are set to renovate the City Ground Credit: Rex 36 In 2019, Nottingham Forest produced a computer-generated image of their potential new Peter Taylor Stand 36 Forest added hospitality pods made from shipping containers this season Credit: Alamy Advertisement Nottingham Forest are back in Europe, having secured a Conference League spot with their efforts under Nuno Espirito Santo this season. And the Tricky Trees are looking to make some changes to The City Ground that would make the stadium fit in alongside Europe's elite. The main focus of the project would be to increase the capacity by over 10,000 people to reach the 42,000 mark - a task that could cost around £130million. Forest want to do so by extending he Bridgford Stand and replacing the Peter Taylor Stand with a new two-tiered 10,000-seater structure. Advertisement The club shop and offices sit adjacent to the ground, and are set to be knocked down and replaced by a stunning 19-storey apartment block. This means the club shop will be moved and a museum showcasing the club's two European Cup triumphs will be added. The Reds also want to install solar panels on the Brian Clough Stand to generate their own power for matchdays. There will also be a "pedestrianised plaza" around the new City Ground. Advertisement Owner Evangelos Marinakis has his eye on eventually increasing the capacity to 50,000 should the initial changes prove a success. No date had been put in place for the plans to be completed, but internal documents have suggested work could begin in summer 2026. CRYSTAL PALACE Cost : £150million : £150million Opening date : 2027 : 2027 Capacity: 34,000 36 Crystal Palace are set to build a new main stand Credit: Crystal Palace/MDC 36 Construction work will begin at the end of this season Credit: Crystal Palace FC Advertisement 36 A new away changing room is currently being built Credit: Crystal Palace/MDC Newly crowned FA Cup winners Crystal Palace are yet another club with grand plans of expanding their ground. Selhurst Park currently holds around 26,000 supporters, but proposals have detailed ambitions to boost that to 34,000. The Eagles plan on doing it by building a new Main Stand, with construction set to begin this summer. Advertisement The new Main Stand will hold 13,500 supporters, compared to 5,200 currently housed in the stand that was built in 1924. While artist impressions show it will have a classy glass exterior adorned with a huge Eagle logo. Palace chairman Steve Parish said last summer he wants the club to have "a stadium the whole of South London can be proud of". As well as the new stand, Palace are also building a new club shop, a museum, a cafe, new dressing rooms and a fanpark. Advertisement It's thought that the project will total around £150million with a proposed completion date in 2027. NEWCASTLE UNITED Cost : Up to £3billion : Up to £3billion Opening date : 2031/2032 season : 2031/2032 season Capacity: Estimated at 70,000 Inside Newcastle's £3BILLION new stadium plans with St James' Park project to rival Old Trafford 36 Newcastle are facing a dilemma on whether to expand their iconic ground or find a new home Credit: Getty 36 The iconic stadium currently boasts a capacity of 52,304 Credit: Alamy 36 Advertisement 36 Although no official plans or pictures have been released by Newcastle just yet, the Magpies are planning on either renovating St James' Park or building a brand new stadium as they continue their development under the Saudi Public Investment Fund ownership. A world-class stadium would help Newcastle fit in with the teams they're trying to compete with – in a similar fashion to Tottenham's move to their state-of-the-art ground from White Hart Lane. Staying put would mean a huge redevelopment of the Gallowgate End, while leaving would mean building a brand new home elsewhere. Advertisement COO Brad Miller has promised a 'once-in-a-generation' investment into the redevelopment and that kind of cash will be needed to carry out what would be ambitious plans. The idea of a redevelopment would be to raise the capacity of the ground to around 60-65,000. While the idea of a new ground would mean that Newcastle could host around 70,000 fans, effectively increasing their capacity by almost 18,000 seats - that's more than both Brentford and Bournemouth can fit in their entire stadiums at the moment. The most likely place to move would be into the adjacent Leazes Park, however Newcastle are set to face legal hurdles and heavy resistance from members of the public who want to protect the Grade II listed park. Advertisement As a result their plans would see them use just a small section of the park with the rest of the new ground overlapping with St James' current footprint - plus a new parkland would be created where the current pitch is situated. A redevelopment of the Gallowgate has been mooted to cost anywhere up to £1BILLION, which is a crazy number in comparison to other expansion projects in recent times. Liverpool spent just £80m on their Anfield Road Stand expansion in 2024, and Fulham spent £120m on their Riverside Stand. But that kind of money may seem worth it when you learn that an entirely new stadium has been estimated at a cost of between £2BILLION and £3BILLION. Advertisement Reports have suggested that the club would be targeting the 2031/32 season for a brand new stadium, but would likely see an expansion completed in five years instead of seven.


Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Crystal Palace set to learn Europa League fate this week as co-owner looks to buy out John Textor
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOSH HARRIS wants to buy out John Textor in the latest tug of war at Crystal Palace. Textor owns around 45 per cent of the club and was planning to make a move on Harris and David Blitzer — who have 18 per cent each — to purchase their shares. 3 JOSH HARRIS wants to buy out John Textor in the latest tug of war at Crystal Palace Credit: Rex 3 Textor now willing to sell up to avoid Palace being booted out of the Europa League Credit: AFP 3 Palace qualified for the Europa League after beating Man City in the FA Cup final But that has failed so far — with Textor now willing to sell up to avoid Palace being booted out of the Europa League due to Uefa's rules on multi-club ownership. The European governing body's regulations mean Textor, majority owner of Lyon, cannot have influence at two clubs in the same competition. But a sale is unlikely to be quick and will not impact the decision of Uefa chiefs. And Harris is looking to pay a smaller sum than his US compatriot wants. READ MORE CRYSTAL PALACE NEWS PALACE PROBLEM Palace closer than ever to being kicked out of Europe as Man Utd trick fails Textor, whose Palace club won entry to the Europa League through winning the FA Cup, does not have a majority stake and only 25 per cent of voting rights. Palace hope that relatively low figure will help their case with Uefa, who are expected to deliver a verdict next week. Lyon are also set to feature in the competition having finished higher than Palace domestically, with a sixth-placed finish in the Ligue 1 last season. Uefa rules prohibit anyone from "simultaneously be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition." CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The prospect of Palace dropping into the Conference League is also nigh-on impossible too. This is because other shareholder David Blizter also has a stake in Danish oufit Brondby, who are set to play in European football's tertiary club competition next season. Abandoned iconic UK stadium left to rot 110 years after hosting FA Cup final getting new lease of life In a desperate bid to see the Eagles fly across Europe next season and comply with Uefa rules, Textor and Blizter offered to put their shares in a blind trust. But Uefa chiefs have REJECTED the offer, leaving Palace's proposed European adventure next season in limbo. Manchester City and Manchester United utilised blind trusts last season as sister clubs Girona and Nice both qualified for the Champions League and Europa League respectively.


Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Patrick Stewart offers glimpse into how Rangers will approach first transfer window with Russell Martin and new owners
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PATRICK STEWART has described Rangers as a club with "unfulfilled potential" as he prepares for the first transfer window under a new ownership regime and management team. Russell Martin was confirmed as the Ibrox side's head coach on Thursday, following the arrival of Kevin Thelwell and Dan Purdy as sporting director and technical director. 2 Russell Martin and Patrick Stewart on the day Martin was unveiled as Rangers boss Credit: PA On May 30 the £90million takeover by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises was finally completed after months of negotiations. An initial £20million of investment has been promised and a share issue will follow to help raise more funds. With the Light Blues in Champions League qualifying action on July 22/23 and 29/30, the summer rebuild must start soon. We looked at how Martin could transform Rangers, in particular by recruiting trusted former players. Gers chief Stewart acknowledged there is a lot of ground to be made up on Celtic in the league, but believes Martin has arrived early enough for them to make signings before the Euro qualifiers next month. Speaking in an interview with Rangers TV, he said: 'There is a lot of hard work to be done, just to be clear. I think there always is every pre-season for Rangers because the European qualifiers come so early, so let's not shy away from that. 'That said, we have got Russell in and the transfer window doesn't open for another ten days and the first team don't return for another two weeks, so actually you could look at it glass half full and say we have got him in well in advance of those two key events. 'But let's not kid ourselves, there is a lot of hard work to be done but I know Russell is determined to get stuck into that. 'The potential of Rangers, we know it is unfulfilled at the moment. 'This is a huge club and supporters, players, management and staff, we have all been frustrated at not having achieved the heights. Rangers fans react to news Russell Martin is their new manager 'It feels now though that we are making steps forward and new ownership is a massive step forward. 'My excitement and optimism levels have definitely increased but they were always there because there is so much that is positive about this club.' Stewart was asked how Martin's experience in both Scotland and England during his career will help them in the recruitment process. He said that combining Martin's knowledge with Thelwell's contacts book should lead to positive results in the transfer market. Stewart said that they will pay close attention to the Scottish and English markets, as players there will have an understanding of the British game. But that won't stop them from scouting players further afield - the only condition being that they must ALREADY be suited to playing in Scotland, rather than trying to mould them into the finished product. He said: 'Having an understanding of the Scottish game I would say is a key factor because every league is unique and we can look at some of the fixtures that have to be played as part of the SPFL. 'Every ground has its nuances and every club has its nuances, so somebody that comes in with an understanding of that is a huge asset. 'Equally, when it comes to recruiting players having a knowledge of markets outside of Scotland and players outside of Scotland, and off-the-pitch talent outside of Scotland as well, is a huge advantage. 'So yes, I think we are really fortunate to have somebody who has that Scottish background and also English experience as well." 2 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page