Penningtons Manches Cooper advises Gersh on acquisition of PLG
Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised leading global talent and entertainment agency Gersh on its acquisition of UK-based football agency PLG, ahead of the launch of Gersh Football, a new global football representation platform.
Gersh’s expansion into football builds on its broader strategy to develop a global, full-service representation offering. As part of this, PLG brings a well-established UK presence and a strong reputation for bespoke player representation, advising elite players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, and Andy Robertson, and working with clients across top-tier clubs in the UK and Europe.
The acquisition combines PLG with Gersh’s existing football business, You First Football, bringing together complementary strengths to form a more connected international platform. Operating under the newly launched Gersh Football brand, the combined business will benefit from enhanced scale, resources and geographic reach, with an expanded presence across Europe, South America and Africa, forming a central pillar of Gersh’s long-term strategy to build a fully global representation platform.
The Penningtons Manches Cooper team was led by corporate partner David Kendall, with support from managing associate Hannah McIlwraith, and associate Holly Sargeant. The wider team included employment partner Andrew Haywood and associate Lucas Grinstead, IP, IT and commercial senior associate Nora Pook, and banking and finance associate Andrew Choi.
Guillermo Lopez commented: “The acquisition of PLG and launch of Gersh Football marks an important step in our strategy to build a leading global football representation platform. We are pleased to have worked with Penningtons Manches Cooper on this strategically significant transaction. Their team provided clear, commercial and responsive advice throughout the process, supporting us in delivering a successful outcome.”
David Kendall added: “We are delighted to have supported Gersh on this strategically significant acquisition. The transaction represents an important step in the expansion of its global football offering and the integration of a high-quality UK agency into its wider international platform.”