- Apollo is negotiating a €2.5 billion investment in Atletico Madrid that includes covering the club’s debt
- Talks involve a capital increase in Atletico Holdco, which could dilute shares of Gil Marin, Ares, and Cerezo
- The American fund aims for majority control, but a final agreement has yet to be reached
Key Takeaways:
American private equity firm Apollo Global Management is in talks with the management of Atletico Madrid to purchase a significant stake in the club. According to Spanish outlet Expansion, the deal would be worth €2.5 billion and would also cover the club’s existing debts.
The American firm would obtain its stake via a capital increase in Atletico Holdco, which owns the majority of the club (70.39%).
💰 Apollo negocia una inversión millonaria en el Atlético, valorado en 2.500M€.
📝 La operación sería vía ampliación de capital en Atlético Holdco, reduciendo participaciones de Gil Marín, Ares y Cerezo.
⚠️ Apollo busca controlar Atlético Holdco y el club.@expansioncom pic.twitter.com/WMLMBQOav7
— Atleti365 (@Atleti365__) July 16, 2025
Atletico Madrid’s shareholding is led by CEO Gil Marin, who owns 50.82% of Atletico Holdco. The other shareholders in Holdco include U.S.-based Ares Management (33.96%) and club president Enrique Cerezo (15.22%). Meanwhile, British company Quantum Pacific holds 27.81% of Atletico Madrid directly.
Apollo is negotiating to join Atletico Holdco by participating in a capital increase, which would reduce the existing shares of Gil Marin, Ares, and Cerezo, though no shares would be sold initially. This is the same method Ares used to enter the club in 2021, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apollo is reportedly interested in acquiring a majority stake in Atletico Holdco, which would effectively give it control of Atletico Madrid. However, the timeline and final terms of the transaction remain uncertain, and there has been no official comment from either side at this stage.