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7 February 2025, 12:26 GMT
The future of Salford Red Devils has been assured as a consortium led by businessman Dario Berta completed an eve-of-season takeover of the Super League club.
Berta’s group has acquired full 100% ownership of the club, subject to final approval by the Rugby Football League, after lengthy talks with stakeholders including Salford City Council, which owns Salford Community Stadium.
The new owners have cleared the Red Devils’ debt and “will deliver additional significant investment for the future growth of the club”, a Salford statement said.
The takeover ends a period of uncertainty for the Red Devils, including having to request an advance payment from other Super League clubs on their 2025 revenue share and being ordered to sell players by the RFL.
Berta – the chief executive officer of Matanel, an investment bank which specialises in real estate – told the club’s website: “This is the start of a very bright and successful future for Salford Red Devils.
“I feel like we have the perfect opportunity to build something special. Our focus and dedication now is to work together with stakeholders and fans to build sustainable success on and off the pitch for the long term.”
Chris Irwin has been appointed CEO and is meeting head coach Paul Rowley, assistant Kurt Haggerty and the club’s players on Friday to underline the plans for the future.
Salford begin their 2025 season away to Midlands Hurricanes in the Challenge Cup on Sunday before facing St Helens in their Super League opener on 15 February.
‘A chance to build on remarkable work’
Matt Newsum, BBC Rugby League correspondent
Salford’s takeover offers the club a chance to progress forward with meaningful investment and build on the remarkable work done in recent years against a backdrop of financial uncertainty and thriftiness.
The genuine fears of the club being unable to meet its commitments and the sale of key players has now been avoided, debt has been completely wiped out and investment promised.
What should not be forgotten is the work of people like chief executive Paul King to run such a tight ship during Covid and the subsequent financial climate that followed.
Salford have been to a Grand Final, Challenge Cup final and finished in the top four last season – a stunning achievement given their then-modest resources.
Paul Rowley, one of Super League’s most talented and creative coaches, has consistently put together a squad that has been hugely competitive on a relative shoestring compared to some of their rivals in terms of salary cap spend.
That prudent recruitment has generated a special atmosphere, a camaraderie, and a tightness within the squad particularly during the difficult unknown territory that surrounded this season’s preparations.
With financial muscle available, Salford should be able to compete more strongly on that basis in future; the challenge with that will be keeping some of the chemistry, identity and make-up which has made the Red Devils such a close-knit and competitive force on the field.
