English businessman Tony Bloom, a minority shareholder in Union Saint-Gilloise and owner of Brighton & Hove Albion, is set to acquire a 29% stake in the Scottish club Heart of Midlothian.
Earlier this month, Bloom offered £9.86 million (over €11.5 million) for the 29% share, which required approval from the Foundation of Hearts, a supporters’ group that holds the majority stake in the Edinburgh club.
After a consultation period ending on Monday, 98.5% of Hearts fans approved the proposal.
Bloom has owned Brighton since 2009 and took over Union Saint-Gilloise in 2018 when the club was in Belgium’s second division.
In summer 2023, he became a minority shareholder to comply with UEFA competition regulations.
Union Saint-Gilloise was preparing for the Europa League, as was Brighton, but UEFA rules prohibit clubs with the same owner from competing in the same European competition.
As a result, Bloom was replaced as majority shareholder by his business partner, former Union president Alex Muzio.
