Official statement | OneFootball

Santos FC and SDC Sports have signed a non-binding term sheet for the acquisition by SDC Sports of a controlling equity stake in Santos SAF.

The terms reflect five months of due diligence conducted with the support of Rothschild & Co., Alvarez & Marsal, and BMA, since the submission of the non-binding proposal on February 20, 2026, covering the Club’s assets, liabilities, and operations. Santos FC is advised by XP Investimentos, EXA Capital, Press FC, and the law firm Bichara e Motta Advogados.

“In addition to the commitment to inject capital, we intend to invest in the four areas that have always defined the Club: the youth academy, so that Santos can once again develop and retain the best young talents in Brazilian football; infrastructure, starting with the Rei Pelé and Meninos da Vila training centers and the facilities used daily by the athletes, always respecting the Club’s heritage and identity, also represented by Vila Belmiro; the brand, so that the Club’s global recognition is reflected in its commercial and media presence; and professional football, so that on-field performance lives up to the history and badge of Santos,” said Michael Lipman, Managing Partner of SDC Sports, and Diego Garcia, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of St. Dominique Capital.

SDC Sports will now present the project to the Deliberative Council. The completion of any transaction remains subject, among other factors, to obtaining the applicable bylaw amendments and internal approvals from the Club’s competent governing bodies, including the Deliberative Council and the General Assembly of Members, the satisfactory completion of mutual confirmatory due diligence, and the signing of definitive documentation.

“You do not buy a club like Santos; you take on the responsibility of being given the opportunity to become part of it,” said Michael Lipman and Diego Garcia. “Our ambition is to put this club back where its history says it belongs. That starts with a solid foundation and begins with the Deliberative Council getting to know the project and the people behind it.”

“From the very first day of our administration, we made it clear that it was our duty to evaluate all alternatives capable of strengthening Santos FC, including a possible conversion into a SAF. The signing of this term sheet represents an important step on that path. The project will now be presented to the Deliberative Council, in full respect of the Club’s governance. Our commitment remains the same: to strengthen Santos FC, preserve its history, and always act in the best interest of its members and supporters,” said Marcelo Teixeira, President of Santos FC.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.