AS Saint-Étienne saw up close a golden opportunity that could have transformed its future. As major investors sought to establish themselves in the French football landscape, the Greens were among the clubs potentially bought out. However, despite this interest, Saint-Étienne missed the opportunity to attract these powerful financiers, while being bought in June by the wealthy Larry Tanenbaum. The future will tell us if it was a godsend… or a missed opportunity for ASSE!
The Arnault family, the third largest fortune in the world, and Red Bull, a flagship company in international sport, have seriously considered investing in several French clubs. Lille, Bordeaux, Valenciennes but also Saint-Étienne seemed to be ideal candidates for such a project. Clubs generating fervor, nostalgia…
ASSE could have landed in LVMH’s basket!
Daniel Riolo, editorialist at RMC Sport, revealed this past interest: “Perhaps even if Qatar had been a seller, it would have been PSG that they would have bought. They wanted a football club, they looked at Lille, Bordeaux, Saint-Étienne…”
These comments confirm that Saint-Étienne was one of the options on the table. ASSE, while it was on the market for clubs for sale, could have taken advantage of this financial windfall to rebuild itself after difficult seasons and gain momentum. But for various reasons, this takeover did not materialize, and it was towards another club that eyes were turned.
It was ultimately Paris FC, a Ligue 2 club, which succeeded in attracting these powerful investors. After several months of discreet negotiations, the information came out these days: the Arnault family, via its family holding company, will acquire the majority of shares in the Parisian club, in partnership with Red Bull, which will bring its expertise and its brand already well anchored in European football with clubs like RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg.
Red Bull gives wings to a club in the capital!
According to information from L’Équipe, the president of Paris FC, Pierre Ferracci, will keep around 30% of the club’s shares until 2027, when he will step down completely. The Arnault family, which will initially hold 55 to 56% of the shares, will end up buying the entire capital. Red Bull, for its part, will take a 15% stake, but its contribution will not only be financial. Thanks to its network and its know-how in developing young talents, Red Bull will play a key role in the transformation of the club. The company, which recently appointed Jürgen Klopp as global director of football at Red Bull, has a strong case.
The purchase of Paris FC is not simply a short-term investment. The Arnault family and Red Bull intend to build a sustainable project, with clear sporting ambitions: promotion to Ligue 1 from the 2024-2025 season and, in the longer term, a solid establishment at the top of French football, with European prospects.
100 to 200 million euros, to structure the team and the club!
Starting this season, the club recruited intelligently with players like Jean-Philippe Krasso, the former Stéphanois, and Maxime Lopez, symbols of a change of era at Paris FC. Their goal? Guarantee the rise to Ligue 1. The new owners also plan to inject significant funds in the coming years, to the tune of 100 to 200 million euros, to structure the team and the club.
The project of the Arnault family and Red Bull does not aim to immediately compete with Paris Saint-Germain, but to offer a solid alternative within the capital. Ultimately, the objective is clear: to qualify for the Champions League and become a key player in European football. The ambitions are great, but with such resources and such expertise, Paris FC could quickly shake up the hierarchy of French football. And ASSE is biting its fingers for missing out on such an opportunity?
