Real Madrid, the European soccer behemoth, closed a deal in which the investment firm Sixth Street, based in the United States, will pay about $380 million for a 30 percent stake in the team’s stadium operations.
The announcement Thursday came amid growing optimism among executives that Real Madrid, a 13-time European champion, could complete a deal to sign Kylian Mbappé, one of the most sought after players in world soccer, as a free agent on a contract that could make him the highest-paid athlete in Real’s history.
Under the terms of the contract, Real, which strolled to a 35th Spanish championship this month, would have no restrictions on how it spends its money. Capturing Mbappé would be a coup for Real, which has been chasing him since failing to persuade his current club, Paris St.-Germain, to accept as much as $200 million for him during last summer’s postseason.
The deal between Real and Sixth Street also includes Legends, an American sports event management and hospitality company that is majority owned by Sixth Street. The partnership will last for 20 years and be run through a joint venture that will contain all of Real’s in-stadium income, with the exception of season-ticket sales.
