Essentially, companies buy a percentage of a player in the hope that, if he becomes a star in the future, that percentage can be sold for a large profit.

Clubs selling a player they only part-own receive less of the transfer fee - but, on the upside, if they are partnering with a company to sign a player, they would pay a lower fee initially.

That could benefit a club such as Everton, who are struggling to find funds to buy players.

With limited resources of their own, a third party would pay the bulk of a transfer fee, allowing the player to turn out for the club over the course of his contract."