Targeted sales of 100 million
VfL Bochum closed the 2021/22 financial year with a profit of 5.8 million euros. The Bundesliga club announced this at its annual general meeting on Tuesday. Income of 65.7 million euros contrasted with expenses of 59.9 million euros. “We are aiming for a turnover of more than 100 million in the future. This is the only way we can close the gap to our competitors in the Bundesliga,” said Ilja Kaenzig, spokesman for the management and chief financial officer.
For the current financial year, VfL anticipates an increase of EUR 9.8 million on expected earnings of EUR 82.4 million. The main reason for the increase is record transfer income of EUR 16.4 million. For World Cup participant Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton FC) alone, Bochum received around 11 million euros in the summer. The departures of Maxim Leitsch (Mainz), Sebastian Polter and coach Thomas Reis (both Schalke) brought in further income.
Bella-Kotchap clearly ahead: the most expensive departures from VfL Bochum
But Kaenzig emphasized: “The actual transfer income is 7.9 million euros. You shouldn’t start from the gross number, because from this you have to deduct the shares of players and agents, taxes or the mandatory repayment of loans to the Stadioncenter.”
At the end of the current fiscal year, debts should be reduced to EUR 4.7 million. “We will have repaid liabilities of 8 million euros from 2021 to mid-2023,” said Kaenzig. In addition, a loan of EUR 5.4 million granted by the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) during the Corona crisis must also be reduced.
VfL Bochum looking for investors: No discount, no multi-club model
The chief financial officer also spoke about VfL Bochum’s ongoing search for investors: “Certainly one can ask the question: where is the investor? With him you could have secured the league now. They are almost exclusively North American investors, who mostly manage private equity or funds, ie who do not act with their own money, are either looking for ‘bargains’ or at least want a substantial discount on the purchase price in the case of minority holdings. Even if they are serious people, they act out of purely business considerations. However, we will not offer a discount. And the multi-club model does not fit in Germany, such was also ruled out at VfL.”
We are therefore still looking for a strategic partner who “believes in our vision and is willing to invest in our growth strategy. Without a say, but with a lot of trust in the people and committees involved.”
The entire report of Ilya #Kaenzig to the #VfLMV2022: https://t.co/g3ecexlnPQ
— VfL Bochum 1848 (@VfLBochum1848eV) November 15, 2022
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