Former Real Madrid defender and Five Eleven Capital fund close deal with club shareholders after intensive negotiations; administrative approval pending.
1:54 PM
Sergio Ramos and the Five Eleven Capital investment fund have reached an agreement in principle to acquire Sevilla FC, the club where the 40-year-old defender began his career, sources confirmed Tuesday.
The deal, valued at approximately €450 million for roughly 80 percent of the club's shares, was finalized following intensive negotiations that began Monday and concluded Tuesday morning at the Sevilla Center hotel in the Andalusian capital. Ramos, accompanied by his lawyer Julio Senn and Five Eleven Capital CEO Martín Ink, an Argentine businessman, met with representatives of the club's principal shareholder families—Carrión, Castro, and Alés—to close outstanding terms.
Monday's negotiations lasted between eight and ten hours. A shorter follow-up meeting on Tuesday, lasting approximately three hours, resolved remaining details and confirmed the purchase price. The agreement also includes the shareholdings of José María del Nido Benavente, the club's largest individual shareholder, and José María del Nido Carrasco, the current club president, though neither attended the hotel meetings.
Alberto Pérez Solano, the club's lawyer, told media after Tuesday's session that negotiations had "gone well" and expressed optimism about the transaction. Ramos left the hotel visibly smiling and gave a thumbs-up gesture, contrasting sharply with his serious demeanor upon departing Monday's marathon session.
The transaction now requires formal notarization and approval from Spain's Consejo Superior del Deporte (CSD), the country's sports authority. Sources indicated the deadline for completing the purchase falls around late May or early June. An exclusivity period established when Ramos and Five Eleven Capital signed a letter of intent in January expires May 31.
The accelerated pace of negotiations followed Sevilla's recent sporting developments. Two consecutive victories—against Real Sociedad and RCD Espanyol—provided momentum as the club fights to avoid relegation from La Liga. The club currently sits 13th in the Spanish league standings.
Ramos, who played for Sevilla across two spells and made 87 appearances for the club, spent the 2023-24 season with the team before departing. He has been without a club since leaving Mexican side Monterrey in December 2025 and has not announced his retirement from playing.
The agreement represents a significant institutional shift for Sevilla, with Martín Ink positioned as a central figure in the new ownership structure. Beyond the equity purchase, sources indicated Ramos and his consortium plan a substantial capital increase to address the club's economic difficulties and expand its salary cap to prevent future relegation battles.
The transaction requires approval from LaLiga, the Spanish league organizer, before it can be finalized.
The Uruguayan-born defender won four European Cups with Real Madrid between 1957 and 1966 and later managed Spain's 1982 World Cup campaign.
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