Prospective takeover could transform French soccer landscape

PARIS — France's capital city may finally be about to have a second major soccer club, and a challenger to Paris Saint-Germain, with a takeover of Paris FC by the country's richest family along with energy drinks giant Red Bull expected to be announced in the coming days.

News broke that talks were underway between the club's current majority shareholder, businessman Pierre Ferracci, and the Arnault family, owners of the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate, with Red Bull expected to secure a minority stake.

The takeover could completely transform the footballing landscape in France, where the domestic league has been dominated by Paris Saint-Germain since its acquisition by Qatar Sports Investments in 2011.

It could also lead to Paris having two teams in the top flight for the first time in over three decades, since Racing Paris was relegated in 1990.

That has created a stark soccer contrast between Paris and other major European cities, notably London which has seven clubs in this season's Premier League.

Neither Paris FC nor the Arnault family offered comment when contacted by AFP, but a source close to the talks indicated a statement would follow in the coming days.

The same source said the Arnault family — France's richest, with LVMH CEO Bernard and his five children — would acquire a controlling stake of 55 percent with Red Bull taking 15 percent of the club, whose badge features the Eiffel Tower, the ultimate symbol of Paris.

The remaining 30 percent would remain in the hands of Ferracci before passing over to the Arnault family in 2027.

Klopp involvement?

Despite the possible challenge to PSG, its ownership welcomed the prospect of a new rival on its doorstep.

"It is great news for Paris and for French football," was the response of Nasser Al-Khelaifi, according to the entourage of the PSG president.

Ambitions could then be sky-high for a club already primed to win promotion to Ligue 1 this season.

The involvement of Red Bull could be pivotal, given its proven success elsewhere, with its stable of soccer clubs led by Champions League regular RB Leipzig.

Red Bull recently appointed Jurgen Klopp as head of soccer operations, meaning the former Liverpool manager could have a say in how Paris FC shapes up.

Paris FC is closely related to Paris Saint-Germain.

It was formed in 1969 and quickly merged with a team from the suburb of Saint-Germain to form PSG.

There was a split in 1972. Paris FC was relegated from the top flight in 1974 and has only had one season there since, in 1978-79.

Rai and Bahrain

It is only in the last decade that it has become regular again in Ligue 2, and now it tops the table.

If PSG is associated with Qatar, Bahrain is the shirt sponsors of Paris FC.

Levels of investment are nowhere near the scale of what has been seen at PSG, but Paris FC still spent upwards of one million euros ($1.087 million) before this season on striker Jean-Philippe Krasso from Red Star Belgrade.

It also signed former Marseille midfielder Maxime Lopez, who played in Serie A last season for Fiorentina, but appears unlikely to invest huge sums in the transfer market immediately.

"Contrary to some of the nonsense I have heard, we have absolutely no intention to spend big in the January window," sporting director Francois Ferracci told Le Parisien.

While PSG attracts over 45,000 fans to the Parc des Princes and is considering building a bigger stadium, Paris FC's recent home games have drawn fewer than 6,000 spectators on average.

That is despite offering free admission to matches at the Stade Charlety, an unloved 20,000-capacity venue in southern Paris.

"If we could start to get 10-15,000 fans at every home game that would be huge," the team's coach, Stephane Gilli, said in an interview published by the club.

The longer-term ambitions are clearly far greater for a club who has a notable ambassador in the shape of former PSG and Brazil star Rai.

"I want Parisians to believe that Paris deserves at least two topflight clubs of a good level," Rai, who holds a small stake in Paris FC, told France Info radio earlier this year.

AFP