Man City buy stake in third-tier Chinese club Sichuan Jiuniu FC

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Sichuan Jiuniu FC is City's seventh club

Manchester City's owners have bought a stake in Chinese third-tier club Sichuan Jiuniu FC - their seventh football club.

City Football Group purchased the club alongside artificial intelligence and humanoid robotic company UBTECH and China Sports Capital.

They are already majority owners of New York FC and Melbourne City FC.

Other investments include Yokohama F Marinos in Japan, Club Atletico Torque in Uruguay and La Liga side Girona FC.

Based in the Sichuan Province in South West China, China League Two side Jiuniu play at the 27,000-seater Chengdu Longquanyi Football Stadium.

"We believe strongly in the future of football in China," said City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano.

"We are making a long-term, sustainable commitment to grow and develop Sichuan Jiuniu FC and to nurture Chinese footballing talent."