'Assets of 1.6456 trillion won': Korean female club owner exudes authority, stormily signing Ballon d'Or star → English title race "limits cannot be gauged"

*This content was translated by AI.

London City Lionesses, now boasting a top star who has won the Ballon d'Or twice, are challenging for the summit of England's Women's Super League (WSL), backed by full-scale investment and ambition from club owner and chairperson Michelle Kang (66, Korean name: Kang Yong-mi).

On the 31st (Korean time), British media 'The Guardian' previewed the 2026–2027 WSL season, projecting London City to finish fourth. The outlet focused intensely on the club's unprecedented moves as an independent team and the comprehensive support provided by owner Michelle Kang.

The media stated, "It is virtually impossible to gauge London City's limits or final results this season." It added, "Chairperson Michelle Kang is driving toward league supremacy, signing eight players this summer alone. At the center of this effort is Alexia Putellas, who spent 14 years at Barcelona and became a symbol of women's football worldwide. Despite maintaining her peak form and receiving offers from top clubs globally, Putellas chose to join Michelle Kang (Chairman)'s project, making her debut on English soil."

The full-scale investment by the 'Manuel of women's football' has left even experts in the UK speechless. Under Michelle Kang (Chairman)'s leadership at London City, world-class players have joined en masse, including Mary Earps from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Mapi León who joined from Barcelona, and Kadidiatou Diani acquired from Olympique Lyonnais. The squad was further strengthened by adding German national team striker Nikoel Arosiomi, who recorded 60 goals in 130 matches over five years at Eintracht Frankfurt.

London City finished sixth in their inaugural WSL season last year and now aims for at least a top-three finish this season.

The financial outlay from aggressive player acquisitions is also substantial. According to 'The Guardian' analysis, London City's revenue for the 2024–2025 club year was 902,000 pounds (approximately 1.5 billion won), while operating losses reached 10.6 million pounds (approximately 18.5 billion won)—more than ten times the revenue. The scale of spending from this summer's massive investment is expected to be reflected even more prominently in future financial reports.

Millionaire businessman Michelle Kang (Chairman), whose assets are estimated at $1.2 billion (approximately 1.6456 trillion won) by the U.S. economic magazine 'Forbes', is known as a major investor in women's football. A Seoul native, she moved to the United States while attending Sogang University and founded Cognosante, a healthcare IT company. She has built a global football network by sequentially acquiring London City, Washington Spirit in the U.S., and the prestigious French club Olympique Lyonnais Féminin.

Notably, Michelle Kang (Chairman) has demonstrated immense influence across European football not only in women's football but also by rescuing struggling men's football giants. According to reports from 'L'Équipe' and others, she took over as the new chairman of Olympique Lyonnais Men's Team, which faced relegation to France's second division due to astronomical debt amounting to €505.1 million (approximately 799.5 billion won). By injecting personal funds and restructuring debts, she led a nine-day all-out effort that ultimately secured a dramatic decision by the French Football Federation's Financial Supervision Department (DNCG) to retain their first-division status.

Having acquired London City when it was on the brink of bankruptcy and leading them to win the second division and secure promotion to the WSL, Michelle Kang (Chairman) has never hesitated to make bold investments. For instance, when signing former French national team midfielder Grace Geoye, she paid a record-breaking transfer fee of approximately €1 million (around 1.5 billion won).

Earlier, through the British 'BBC', Michelle Kang (Chairman) stated, "A football team is not a charity; we compete with all entertainment industries." She added, "We must actively invest in infrastructure and research to deliver the best product—the match itself—and enhance the appeal of women's sports. This is not a one-year project; we are building a solid foundation to reach the pinnacle of English football."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.