French striker Moussa Dembele, known for his stints at Celtic, Lyon, Fulham, and Atletico Madrid, has made a surprising move off the pitch by acquiring Lithuanian second-tier side FK Minija Kretinga.
The club, currently sitting in ninth place in Lithuania’s I Lyga, confirmed on Monday that it has been purchased by Triple M Sports Investments Limited, an investment group in which Dembele is a director. The group also owns AS Mansa, a football club based in Mali.
In a statement to Reuters, FK Minija CEO Vidas Burba expressed optimism about the club’s new chapter under international ownership.
“They now know more about Kretinga than I do,” Burba said. “This is a win not only for Kretinga but for all Lithuanian football. We will now move from being an amateur club to a professional one.”
The acquisition marks a new phase in Dembele’s career as he begins building a portfolio in football ownership. The 28-year-old currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq, having joined the club in 2023.
Dembele enjoyed significant success at Celtic, where he scored 51 goals in 94 appearances between 2016 and 2018, helping the Scottish side to two league titles. He also played a part in Atletico Madrid’s 2020–21 LaLiga-winning campaign.
Now, his focus is shifting from scoring goals to building footballing infrastructure. With Dembele’s backing, FK Minija could be poised for professional growth and greater ambitions within Lithuanian football.
