Crystal Palace have reportedly been valued at £900million as the club’s owners look for fresh investment, with the Raine Group brought in to handle interest.
The figure would represent a major increase from the valuation attached to Woody Johnson’s purchase of a 43 per cent stake in the club a little over a year ago. Palace’s owners believe the growth in football valuations, the limited number of London Premier League clubs and the team’s recent success have pushed the club’s value close to £1billion, as per a report by CityAM.
The search for investment comes as Palace continue to deal with the rising cost of their Selhurst Park redevelopment.
Selhurst Park project driving need for investment
The club have made it clear that finding investment, rather than selling Crystal Palace, is the priority. The planned stadium redevelopment has been delayed, and costs have increased, with chairman Steve Parish recently admitting that the financing for the project is not yet fully secured.
The plans include a new glass-fronted main stand and an increase in capacity from around 25,000 to 34,000.
Palace have also continued to invest elsewhere. The club have recently improved their training complex and academy centre in Beckenham and agreed a deal to purchase a neighbouring 27-acre HSBC site, which could allow further expansion.
On the pitch, Crystal Palace are also enjoying one of the most significant periods in their history. They are competing in the Europa League for the first time after winning the Conference League last season.
They have also won the FA Cup and the Community Shield in recent seasons, marking one of the most successful times of the club’s history.
All of that has helped strengthen the club’s position, while the owners now look to secure the investment needed to take Palace’s wider plans forward. Chairman Steve Parish’s comments regarding the development of Selhurst Park were already reported in our previous story.
