QSI expected to invest in Santos and Malaga

In their pursuit of expansion across different nations to extend their football portfolio, the owners of PSG are exploring various strategies to establish a stronger presence in the world of football.

In addition to seeking new shareholders for Paris Saint-Germain, QSI (Qatar Sports Investments) aims to invest in clubs globally. They already started doing so earlier this season by investing in the close nation of Portugal, but they're now aiming at arriving in different continents.

After acquiring a 21% stake in Portuguese club Braga, QSI has now set its sights on South America. Reports from Brazilian media outlet Globo, confirmed by sources at Le Parisien, indicate that the Qatari investment fund, which owns PSG, is currently in negotiations with Brazil behemoth and historied side Santos.

It doesn't take a genius to see where the connections between Santos and PSG are found: Neymar and his father, who are both close to the Parisian board since the move from Barcelona of Neymar a few years ago in a then-world-record transfer deal.

The objective for QSI is to foster growth through minority equity investments in clubs across the globe. In the case of Santos, PSG's entry into the club's ownership structure is being facilitated through Neymar's father, who has played a role in the negotiations between Santos and Blaze, the current primary sponsor of the Brazilian club.

As of now, discussions are ongoing regarding the terms of QSI's contribution to the club, as reported by Le Parisien. The news is definitely a bit surprising, though, considering PSG are exploring the idea of selling Neymar as soon as this summer and are seemingly favoring getting rid of the Brazilian superstar rather than keeping him in tow.

Another avenue being explored in PSG's expansion strategy involves the potential acquisition of majority ownership in the Spanish club Malaga.

This information was first reported by the Spanish radio channel Cadena COPE, and it has gained substantial traction with figures already being discussed between the Andalusia side and QSI. According to Spanish media sources, QSI could secure a 51% stake in Malaga for a mere €9m.

It's worth noting Malaga already underwent a takeover a few years ago when fellow Qatari investor Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani acquired the club in June 2010. There were high expectations when that happened in terms of the club envisioning a bright future full of titles, but that never came to happen under Al Thani's ownership.

Al Thani is still in possession of Malaga. However, Malaga just got relegeated to the Spanish third tier for the first time since 1998 earlier this month and it's believed that Al Thani is trying to sell the club.

While the sum may appear modest, it reflects the dire financial situation of Malaga, currently languishing in 19th place in the Spanish second division and already relegated to the third tier. Malaga has not played top-flight football since getting relegated to the second division in the summer of 2018 finishing 20th in La Liga.