It was a real thunderbolt for French Football. A few days after information relating to a proposed takeover of Paris FC by Red Bull and the Arnault family, the Parisian club formalized, this Thursday, that it had entered into exclusive negotiations with the Agache group, a subsidiary of the family holding company controlled by Bernard Arnault . “Agache, advised by Red Bull, intends to contribute to the influence of the club’s unique values and offer it the necessary means to continue its economic, civic and sporting development. A double ambition drives him: to permanently place the men’s and women’s teams in the elite of French football and in the hearts of Parisians.specified the press release from the current leader of Ligue 2. On the verge of entering a new dimension, the residents of Stade Charléty could thus, in the long term, compete with Paris Saint-Germain, the flagship club of the French capital. .
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Paris FC is aiming for Europe in the long term!
Guest in theAfter Foot on RMCPierre Ferracci, the current president of the Ile-de-France team, however wanted to make things clear about the contours of the future project. If the French leader had detailed, a little earlier in the day, the distribution of the future capital, the native of Corsica focused mainly on the future ambitions of Paris FC. “It’s a perfect day for the club. I couldn’t imagine a better transition. This is unexpected for Paris FC. The trajectory will be good. Antoine Arnault will say it, they will take their time, they have big ambitions, but they will not skip steps. The objective is to move up to Ligue 1, it is essential. We want to avoid roadblocks. This is undoubtedly the best valuation for an L2 club.first conceded the 72-year-old man.
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And to add: “what interests me is the value of the club of tomorrow. Investors want to climb to L1. We have a rather praised squad, competent staff. We have the means to climb”. The goals of the Arnault family? “The long-term objective is to be European. It could start with the Europa League and end with the Champions League. No doubt one day they will want to win it. We must not skip the steps. OM have invested a lot of money and are not European this season. We must exploit the training potential of the Paris region, then open up. If the Arnault family has ambitions, it is to be in the first part of the table (in L1), then aim higher”. At the same time, Pierre Ferracci was also pleased to have found a national buyer. “It was an essential criterion. Bahrain will remain sponsor. (…) The Germans are right, all the big assets are in football, that gives considerable firepower. (…) I am delighted, for example, that CMA CGM is a sponsor of OM. I would be delighted if other assets or investors enter football”.
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Red Bull, a major support
An interview during which the Ile-de-France president also clarified the role of the energy drink brand Red Bull, which will hold around 15% of the capital, and with whom he intends to work intelligently. “Red Bull is not coming to do timeshares but to support the Arnault family. Klopp (who is preparing to take up his position as global director of football for Red Bull, editor’s note) can bring his aura, his image. I believe in exchanges with Red Bull, Leipzig… We exchange like companies exchange with each other. I am seduced by Red Bull’s data, their style…” And for good reason. By entering the capital of Paris FC, Red Bull will bring its expertise and know-how in terms of training, as we explained to you recently. With a European ambition, in the medium/long term, Paris FC then logically finds itself involved in an upcoming rivalry with Paris Saint-Germain, the current locomotive of French football.
Questioned on this point, Ferracci however affirmed that the objective was not to “compete with PSG and immediately win the Champions League”. However, the French leader wants to be ambitious, particularly in this remote duel with the Rouge et Bleu. “A rivalry with PSG? Our capital will be national and French, this is not the case for Red Star, and PSG is held by Qatar. I see a derby eventually in L1. All major European cities have two or three clubs in the elite. The eco power is in the big cities. I see a sign for French football. They say that Paris is the best basin in the world, we must exploit these riches. I dream of one day having a team whose backbone is from the Ile-de-France region. Red Bull will help in this sense. Red Bull arrives with the Arnault family, who discovers football and brings strong skills to his side. Red Bull has considerable data. The Arnault family does not dream of competing with PSG and immediately winning the Champions League..
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Negotiations in progress for Jean Bouin
To conclude, the boss of Paris FC returned to one of the other hot issues linked to this takeover, namely the question of the stadium. The opportunity for Ferracci to confirm negotiations with Stade Français for Jean Bouin even if he recognized the complexity he was currently facing. “We gained 40% of supporters. It’s not full, but it’s complicated with PSG opposite. We do a little over 4000 on average. Next year? We are in complicated negotiations with Stade Français for Jean Bouin. You have to find the balance. The negotiation has barely started. We will pay the right price. Not everything and anything. The lawn will have to be changed. It will be good for rugby players. If we move up to L1, Jean Bouin will be full. No worries. The Ile-de-France spine must be strong, by being open. The identity will not be that of Red Star or PSG. We have a training culture. We did the free operation. We will have attractive prices. Freeness has been talked about. Here, football is open to everyone. Football has become very expensive today, in front of TV and in stadiums”. The message is clear: the Paris FC project is unique and ambitious. It now remains to transform the essay… to Jean Bouin or elsewhere.
Pub. the 17/10/2024 21:10
Update 17/10/2024 22:11
