PFC will be bought by the Arnault family and Red Bull, a second major club arrives in Paris

As announced by L’Equipe and confirmed by RMC Sport, Paris FC will be bought by the family holding company of the Arnault family, the third largest fortune in the world, which will enter into exclusive negotiations next week to acquire the majority of the shares in the leader current Ligue 2. In this major project which will change the French football landscape, we also find a (minority) partner of choice: Red Bull.

Will we soon see a high-level Parisian derby? One certainty: history is in the making. According to information revealed a few minutes ago by our colleagues at L’Equipe, which we are able to confirm, Paris FC will be bought by the family holding company of the Arnault family, the third largest fortune in the world according to the Forbes ranking. According to various sources within the club, the Arnault family will enter into exclusive negotiations next week to acquire the majority of shares in the current leader of Ligue 2.

In this major project which will change the French football landscape, we also find a (minority) partner of choice: Red Bull. The energy drink brand will be the footballing endorsement of the second Parisian club. The clubs of Leipzig (Germany) and Salzburg (Austria) will be required to build strong links. In this capacity, Jürgen Klopp, global football director of Red Bull, will contribute to the construction of a club that wants to be a long-term player.

In the winter transfer window, reinforcements “far from Ligue 2 standards” are expected

How was this idea born? In the stands of Formula 1 circuits, rumors have been circulating more and more in recent weeks. The owners of LVMH, who have just invested heavily in Formula 1, were talking with Red Bull, owner of the dominant team. The two entities wanted to invest together in football. The desire to open up the capital of Paris FC by its president, Pierre Ferracci, allowed the two powerful players to unite around a strong brand with two essential assets: the Paris name and the Eiffel Tower crest.

This round of table with complementary assets has therefore decided to set out to conquer Ligue 1 in the short term, the top of the L1 table in the medium term, and, surely one day, to compete for European places. To do this, they plan to rely on the pool of young talents in Ile de France. At present, they will not change either the coach or the management team in place. On the other hand, in the winter transfer window, reinforcements “far from Ligue 2 standards” are expected, confides a source close to the matter.

Antoine Arnault at the heart of this project

What are the ambitions of the Arnault family? At the heart of this project, we find Antoine Arnault, a football enthusiast whom fans regularly encounter in the presidential stand at the Parc des Princes. This fierce PSG supporter has long dreamed of investing in a club with a philosophy well-rooted in a local area. A lover of romantic football, he likes the atmosphere of stadiums in the north of France with a strong popular identity like Lens, Lille, even Valenciennes, which was recently for sale. Owner of all the major global luxury brands (Dior, etc.) with LVMH, he personally, with his brothers and sister, intended to invest in a human project. According to our information, Antoine Arnault would only take over as president of the Parisian club in two years.

The opportunity of Paris FC presented itself to him. He seized the opportunity. Obviously, all observers of French football will pit him against his friend Nasser Al-Khelaïfi’s PSG or OM. In any case, this is already good news for French football which sees a French billionaire investing in a sector which was in disarray. According to our information, the National Football League was taken into confidence very recently. The current broadcaster, DAZN, is also over the moon. He also sees a newcomer to create spectacle and competitiveness. In summary, all the economic players in football are rubbing their hands. The Cassandres will brandish the myth of Jean-Luc Lagardère, who, during the time of Matra Racing, experienced a huge fiasco. In this era of disaster, the Arnault family’s risk-taking does not lack panache.

The major file of the resident stadium

In which stadium? One of the important issues of this takeover concerns the resident stadium. From exclusive concordant sources, the Paris City Hall was informed at the beginning of the week of the project of the owners of LVMH. This is information that fell from the sky for the mayor, Anne Hidalgo. PSG threatened to leave the Parc des Princes if Qatar did not become the owner. The upcoming arrival of the PFC in the big leagues will reshuffle the cards. Now, a credible, prestigious and solid alternative presents itself to the Parisian municipality.

In 2028, the stadium will perhaps be available if the Qataris do not succeed. But be careful, the next owners will never come into conflict with their friends in Qatar with whom they maintain friendly and respectful relations. Indiscretions lead us to believe that the Jean-Bouin stadium would be better suited to the PFC, which above all wishes not to skip ahead. The stands close to the pitch, its location in the city and its average capacity (20,000 seats) are in keeping with the family spirit desired by the new owners.

The DNCG has also not yet been informed of the details of this takeover. No takeover presentation was presented to him even though Ferracci had warned the DNCG of a proposed sale while remaining vague this summer.