Manchester City’s Abu Dhabi owners eyeing stake in Spartak Moscow in latest investment for football empire – reports

The Abu Dhabi owners of Premier League giants Manchester City are interested in expanding their portfolio by purchasing a stake in Spartak Moscow, according to reports in Russia.

Taking control of the Sky Blues in 2008, the Abu Dhabi-based moguls also have stakes into the likes of Girona in Catalonia and New York City FC in the MLS through their City Football Group project. 

And according to the Baza Telegram channel, as relayed by Championat, three representatives from the company are currently in the Russian capital. 

A source says they are there to discuss acquiring a 20% stake in record 22-time Russian/Soviet championship winners Spartak. 

They are already said to have attended the 1-1 home draw with Rostov on Saturday while examining the training facilities and offices of the club. 

In recent days, a series of meetings were also reportedly held with various directors. 

Among Spartak's current owners is club president Leonid Fedun, an executive at energy giants Lukoil, who has become unpopular among swathes of the fanbase. 

The club play at the 45,000-seater Otkritie Arena in the Tushina area of the Russian capital, which hosted games at the 2018 World Cup.  

Struggling this season about a third of the way into their campaign, Spartak currently languish in ninth in the Russian Premier League table with 18 points from 13 matches, some 11 points behind leaders Zenit St. Petersburg.

In the UEFA Europa League, they stand bottom of the group after three games, with their only three points coming by beating Italian Serie A leaders Napoli 3-2 on Matchday 2.

This week, they face City's Premier League rivals Leicester away after losing to them 4-3 in a seven goal thriller in Moscow a fortnight ago.