This is surely the only thing that we cannot blame Gérard Lopez since his takeover of the Girondins de Bordeaux, three years ago: play your role as shareholder! He has always assumed his responsibilities at this level, failing those of president of the club. And even today when the Navy and White looks more like a drifting boat than anything else, he continues to plug the holes. The time to say stop, like the M6 or King Street in their time, does not seem to have arrived yet.
Accused in recent weeks of being a bad payer due to multiple delays, particularly with suppliers and other subcontractors, as revealed South West, the businessman decided to pay his bills according to those around him. And more broadly, to relieve the club’s cash flow a little. If its teams refuse to communicate an amount, the businessman has at least handed over more than 5 million euros in new money this week in the coffers of the Navy and White according to our information.
Around ten million euros
The objective of this check is simple: to cover all club costs by the end of the accounting season, that is to say June 30. This decision is a small change in strategy on the part of Gérard Lopez since January, he has only remitted the union minimum each month to allow his club to continue to survive. Those around him also specify in passing that the goal is to bring a little serenity to the environment of the Girondins de Bordeaux…
In the same vein, the Girondins are also preparing to pay their contributions to the URSSAF. As a reminder, they had referred this matter to the Commence court in Bordeaux at the beginning of March in order to initiate a conciliation procedure with the organization. The bill amounts to almost 3 million euros. In total, Gérard Lopez will have spent around ten million euros over this second part of the season to prevent the club from having to stop paying.
Lopez or…Lopez
On the other hand, all of this does not resolve the question of financing for next season. It’s still very unclear as the Girondins de Bordeaux will have to send the DNCG a forecast budget in the coming days while waiting for the crucial meeting before the financial policeman of French football. According to our information, the idea of a loan from a financial institution is no longer really on the agenda for Gérard Lopez.
As in recent years, everything once again seems to rest on the goodwill of the Spanish-Luxembourg businessman. How much will he have to put back into the pot to leave for a season when he has already invested more than 60 million euros in cash in the Girondins de Bordeaux in three years? Knowing that today, he has only recovered a tiny part, notably thanks to transfers. On this topic, those around him continue to insist that discussions are continuing with certain interested investors. Like since December…
Before adding that the negotiations have been postponed several times due to the poor results of the first team and sporting uncertainty, until today, since the club is still not officially maintained in Ligue 2. And that in this whole story, the players have a real responsibility. One thing is certain, at present, the only maxim that is valid for the Girondins of Bordeaux is that of Saint-Thomas: “I only believe what I see”!
