Wang Jianlin, chairman of the Dalian Wanda property group, has agreed to buy a stake in Atletico Madrid football club, the latest move by China’s second-richest man to build a global entertainment empire stretching from China’s rust¹ belt to Hollywood.

大连万达集团(Dalian Wanda Group)董事长王健林已同意收购马德里竞技足球俱乐部(Atletico Madrid football club)的部分股份。这是中国排名第二的富豪为建立一个从中国东北老工业基地至好莱坞(Hollywood)的全球娱乐帝国而采取的最新举动。The transaction, worth 40m-45m, is to be announced at a press conference in Beijing today, according to people close to the deal. It will see Mr Wang’s Dalian Wanda Group take a 20 per cent stake in the reigning² Spanish champions. Wanda in Beijing declined to comment.

接近交易的人士称，这笔价值4000万至4500万欧元的交易将于今日在北京的一场新闻发布会上宣布。王健林的万达集团将收购西甲卫冕冠军马德里竞技20%的股份。在北京，万达方面拒绝发表评论。

The move by Mr Wang — whose personal wealth is $13.2bn according to Forbes Magazine — would be the first Chinese investment in a top-flight European football club, and follows similar moves by wealthy individuals and companies from the Middle East and the US.

王健林此举将成为中国对一家欧洲顶级足球俱乐部的首笔投资，此前来自中东与美国的富人和公司有类似的举动。根据《福布斯》(Forbes)杂志，王健林拥有132亿美元的个人财富。

The club hopes that teaming up with Dalian Wanda will make it easier for Atletico Madrid to attract fans and sponsors in China, an important market for European football teams such as Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

该俱乐部希望与万达的联手将使马竞更容易在中国吸引球迷和赞助商。对于欧洲足球队如曼联(Manchester United)和拜仁慕尼黑(Bayern Munich)来说，中国是一个重要市场。

The acquisition could also open the way for more investment by Dalian Wanda in Spain, according to people familiar with the deal. The Chinese group made headlines last year when it bought the landmark³ Edificio España tower in central Madrid for 265m.

知情人士称，此次收购还将为万达在西班牙进行更多投资打开方便之门。去年万达斥资2.65亿欧元收购了马德里市中心的地标性建筑西班牙大厦(Edificio España)，成为当时的新闻头条。

Atléti — as the club is known locally — has been struggling financially, but achieved remarkable⁴ success on a limited budget last season, winning La Liga and reaching the final of the Uefa Champions League. The team ranks third in the Spanish league this season, behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.

马竞（当地人称之为Atléti）在财务上一直比较拮据，但在上赛季它以有限的预算取得了巨大的成功，赢得西甲冠军并晋级欧洲冠军联赛(Uefa Champions’League)决赛。球队本赛季在西甲联赛排名第三，落后于皇马(Real Madrid)和巴萨(Barcelona)。

Wanda will acquire its stake by way of a capital increase. Miguel Ángel Gil, chief executive and leading shareholder⁵ in Atléti, and Enrique Cerezo, chairman, will continue to control the club.

万达将通过增资获得股份。马竞执行董事和主要股东米格尔·安赫尔·吉尔(Miguel Ángel Gil)和主席恩里克·塞雷佐(Enrique Cerezo)将继续控制该俱乐部。