New era for Charlton as Richard Duchatelet completes takeover

The club had been in negotiations with the Belgian millionaire after talks with American Josh Harris, who owns the Philadelphia 76ers NBA side and New Jersey Devils NHL team, collapsed last month.

Duchatelet, whose company Staprix NV will acquire 100 per cent of the shares of the club, has been extremely active in economics and politics in his native Belgium and has an estimated wealth of £420million.

Charlton Athletic become the fifth club owned by the 67-year-old who counts Belgian sides Standard Liege and Sint-Truidense, as well as German fourth-tier club Carl-Zeiss Jena and 20-times times Hungarian champions Ujpest, amongst his football portfolio.

Charlton director Richard Murray will remain on the board in the role of non-executive chairman.

He said: "I look forward to using my long experience in English football to continue to represent the club that has been my passion for many years. Charlton can benefit from Roland's experience in many different ways."

Current chairman Michael Slater, who will step down from the board, added: "In every important respect we leave the club in a far better state than when we took over three years ago, but now is the time to pass the baton to Roland who has a proven track record of success in business and football."

Tony Jimenez and Martin Prothero will also step down from the board of directors.