From the first contact to the ultimatum from the Americans: this is how the negotiating mystery surrounding the GC shares went

Los Angeles FC first contacted the GC side 13 months before the share takeover was signed. A loose feeling and a signal that you are interested in a purchase. But former owner Jenny Wang had no concrete sales plans at the time.

Shortly after the start of the second half of the season, there was (again) a personnel shake-up in the rankings: president Sky Sun resigned. One version says that he did not want to continue leaving his family in China and went to Switzerland. Other voices are certain that Sun was removed because his bosses in China heard something: that Sun was driving the structural deficit to astronomical heights. Shortly after Sun’s departure, Bill Pan, a financial expert from Fosun, comes to the GC campus, examines the books and recognizes the extent of the mismanagement: more than ten million less income than expenditure – per season. He immediately tells owner Jenny Wang, who is already ready to sell, that selling the club is the right thing to do.

Numerous players are leaving the rankings, including top performers and crowd favorites such as goalkeeper Andre Moreira, homegrown Petar Pusic and Dominik Schmid. It becomes clear: the Chinese pay the bills for as long as necessary, but they no longer want high earners on the payroll. At the start of training, coach Bruno Berner has fewer than ten players with Super League experience on the field, making the standings only partially competitive at the start of the season.

After months of insisting on a sales price that corresponds to the almost 50 million francs they had invested, the Chinese relented. And lower the requirements. Without this move, interest from Los Angeles would likely expire by summer 2023 at the latest.

The financial portal “Bloomberg” reports on serious negotiations between China and the US. The WG majority deal is now gaining momentum after months of sampling, review and sharing.

Shortly before Christmas there was a breakthrough in the negotiations. Also because Los Angeles is putting pressure on them: either there is a solution now, or they withdraw. This is working: there is optimism in WG circles that the deal will be completed very soon.

On Wednesday afternoon, the plane from Los Angeles landed in Zurich with neo-president Stacy Johns and neo-board of directors Larry Freedman on board. Shortly afterwards, the shares are transferred between the old and new owners, and at the same time the Swiss Football League gives the green light for the transfer of ownership. In the evening the new owners introduce themselves – and say: “We want to bring the thing back to life, better times are coming for GC.” The next day, Johns, Freedman and Harald Gärtner (European manager at Los Angeles FC) introduce themselves to the players, coaches and staff on the GC campus. Johns and Freedman return to the US on Friday.