An Egyptian conglomerate has completed the take-over of Ghana’s Right To Dream academy.
The Mansour Group, which is worth billions of dollars, has invested $120m in the Academy which was founded in 1999 by a former Manchester United scout, Tom Vernon.
The group has created an entity called ManSports to oversee its first foray into the world of sports.
“ManSports … will now focus on establishing a Right To Dream academy in Egypt, and furthering the activities of the Right To Dream academy in Ghana, the FC Nordsjaelland club and academy in Denmark,” a statement said.
ManSports is also keen to explore “UK opportunities at club and academy level”, with BBC Sport Africa understanding that the group is eyeing a non-Premier League club in the London area.
Right To Dream will now build an academy in Egypt, for boys and girls, with construction on the site in West Cairo set to begin this year ahead of an intended intake of students next year.
The launch of a new professional women’s football team in Egypt is expected to follow soon after.
While the Egyptian business giants have assumed majority control, with Mohamed Mansour becoming chairman, Vernon himself will remain as the ‘other significant shareholder’ in the company and operate as CEO.
The academy has produced 20 Ghana internationals since it was founded, with Strasbourg’s Abdul Majeed Waris and Ajax Amsterdam’s Mohammed Kudus among the notable names.
