BREAKING NEWS: World's richest man plans to buy Getafe

MEXICO CITY – MARCH 12: Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim (R) bishop Onesimo Zepeda (C) and mexican soccer great Carlos Hermosillo watch the game between Mexico and Cuba during the 2009 World Baseball Classic Pool B match on March 12, 2009 at the Estadio Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico. Cuba won, 16-4.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, the world’s richest man is intent on buying Spanish La Liga club Getafe.

Telecommunications tycoon Carlos Slim has plans for the Club based on the outskirts of Madrid to win the Spanish Premier Division and certainly has the means of funding the Club to achieve that task.

Chairman Angel Torres has been searching for a new benefactor for the Club, and Slim is one of those who fits the bill. Negotiations are already underway and should be finalised within the coming days.

Forbes’ magazine has estimate his personal wealth to be around $76 billion. The 72-year-old business magnate has held the title of World’s Richest Man for at least the last two years.

Slim’s business holdings around the world include investments in telecommunications, technology, retail and finance. He is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive of Telmex, Mexico’s largest fixed-line network, and America Movil, Latin America’s largest mobile phone service provider.

The latter accounts for $48 billion of Slim’s assets.

Should Slim complete the takeover of Getafe, they will not be the first Club to challenge the monopoly Real Madrid and Barcelona have over the Spanish top flight. Sheikh Abdullah al Thani of the Qatari Royal Family is the owner of Malaga, and despite investing millions in the Club after its acquisition, has scaled down his operations with respect to the Club because he has become disillusioned by the project.

Malaga are currently fourth in La Liga, while Getafe are 10th with 13 points from nine games.