The agreement between La Liga and CVC has caused a lot of stir, it's true. But so is the fact that it will be an important source of income for first division clubs (at least for those who have accepted it). Among them Espanyol, which will receive around 80 million euros to spend ---at most--- 70% on infrastructure, 15% on the squad and another 15% on branding, communication and digitalization. Of that 70%, sources from RCD Espanyol have already revealed that a part will be used to build a new sports city in Cornellà, as reported by El Periódico.
The project of the club owned by Chen Yansheng is still in its embryonic phase. The executives of RCD Espanyol do not yet have the land and the project is not even approved. However, contacts with property owners in the area have begun. They are clear about what they are looking for: the new facility must be as close as possible to the RCDE Stadium and must have capacity for five or six training fields, even a mini-stadium where the first women's team and the reserve team can play. We would be talking about a medium-sized sports city to complement the Dani Jarque. Once they find the space that meets all these requirements, the City Councils of Cornellà and El Prat (the stadium is located in both municipalities) must give their approval.
The blue and whites do not consider "in any situation" leaving Sant Adrià del Besòs. They will be complementary sports cities, although the use that will be given to both is not yet decided. What they do know, they explain, are the sporting needs they want to cover and for which the Dani Jarque is currently too small. These needs encompass the first men's and women's teams, the youth team, the reserve teams, the academy and the school. In addition, RCD Espanyol also wants to expand its facilities to host stages for foreign teams and various communication and marketing activities that allow them to have alternative income. Option 1, they assure, was to expand the current sports city to have 10 or 15 training fields, something that is not feasible because nothing can be built around the Dani Jarque right now.
As for the remaining percentage of the funds from the agreement between La Liga and CVC, we will have to wait. That is a match that will be played later.