Hertha Berlin’s Jessica Ngankam fights for the ball with Mainz’s Edimilson Fernandes during the Bundesliga match on Saturday, March 11, 2023. (Soeren Stache/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — Miami investment group 777 Partners has completed the acquisition of 64.7% of Hertha Berlin shares.

The German club said on Saturday that 777 had acquired the shares belonging to the investment group of Lars Windhorst, who in October said he wanted to sell his stake after a breakdown in relations with the club.

Windhorst has invested 374 million euros ($400 million) since 2019 and dreamed of turning Hertha into “a big city club”, but has only seen his side struggle through adversity and not be relegated.

Windhorst reportedly hired an Israeli detective agency to try to hunt down the club’s former chairman, but also fell out with his successor.

Hertha’s supervisory board and the company behind the club approved the share benefit. Financial details of the sale were not disclosed.

“This strategic partnership will allow us to move forward in the process of reconstruction and in the economic consolidation of Hertha BSC,” club president Kay Bernstein said in a statement.

The club retains the majority of voting rights due to Germany’s 50+1 football rules limiting foreign influence.

The American 777 has rights to Sevilla in Spain, Genoa in Italy, Vasco da Gama in Brazil, Standard Liège in Belgium, Red Star FC in France and Melbourne Victory in Australia.

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