Perform is paying up to 47 million pounds for Opta, which offers statistical information and player performance data from football leagues in Britain, Germany and the Netherlands to media clients and clubs themselves.

Floated in April 2011, Perform has built its business on buying online rights to major sports events and selling video clips or live streams to bookmakers and media groups. It also operates the Goal.com football website.

"In addition to funding the acquisition of Opta, the placing will provide Perform with the ability to continue to capitalise on a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities," joint CEO Oliver Slipper said.

A series of acquisitions had helped Perform shares to double in value over the last two years, although the shares lost 10 percent in one session last week after the company warned of slowing profit growth.

They were down around 3 percent on the day to 490p by 0856 BST on Wednesday.

The company plans to sell up to 23.9 million new shares in the placing.

Access Industries, a vehicle of billionaire businessman Len Blavatnik, will take 10.6 million shares to maintain its 42.6 percent stake in the company. Access is the owner of Warner Music.

Morgan Stanley and UBS are handling the share placing. Details on pricing are expected to be announced late on Wednesday or early on Thursday.

(Reporting by Keith Weir, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)