Chinese company buys majority share of Espanyol

Chinese export company, Rastar Group, announced Monday that it has purchased a 56 percent stake of La Liga outfit Espanyol, continuing a trend of Chinese organizations' investment in European football.

The Guangdong-based company paid €78 per share for a controlling stake of Barcelona's second most popular club, opting to pay in cash, according to the Guardian.

"The company hopes that the deal will help it expand its interactive entertainment business in the sports sector," the Rastar Group said in a press release with the Shenzhen stock exchange.

Rastar becomes the second Chinese-based company to buy a portion of a European football club in two months, with October's majority purchase of Czech outift Slavia Prague by CEFC China Energy Company the latest example of a growing movement.

Espanyol also becomes the second large-market La Liga club to receive Chinese investment this year, as property conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group Co. bought 20 percent of Atletico Madrid for €45 million in January.