Manchester City believe they are in a perfect position to crack America after announcing they are to set up a new club in New York.
City, in partnership with baseball giants the New York Yankees, have acquired the rights to a new Major League Soccer expansion franchise.
The new club, which will be known as New York City FC and could play in City's traditional sky blue, will enter the competition in the United States in 2015.
The deal for the franchise is understood to have cost 100million US dollars (£66million) while another considerable sum will be earmarked for the construction of a new stadium.
The venture will give City the chance to grow their brand in the US, increase revenue streams and potentially provide a source of new players.
Chief executive Ferran Soriano, speaking at the announcement of the deal in New York, said: "A lot of top football clubs in the last years have been to the US in a way that they come, play and leave.
"We want to be in New York, we want to be in the US as a permanent presence. We are very excited, this creates history and we are excited to start working on it.
"New York City will have an identity of its own, we will create a whole new organisation."
The link-up with the Yankees will bring the considerable clout and marketing expertise of baseball's most famous club. The Yankees previously had a short-lived commercial agreement with Manchester United but this has much more substance.
Yankees president Randy Levine said: "Obviously our brand is very well known - it's about winning, winning championships and we are here to lend our support to make sure that it happens."
Source: PA
