This is the Team Jürgen Klopp Bought with Red Bull
Paris FC, the leader of the French Second Division, is on the verge of being jointly bought by Red Bull and the Arnault family, owners of the luxury conglomerate LVMH and one of the wealthiest families in France, reports L'Équipe this Wednesday.
The deal, which has been in negotiations for months, plans for the Arnault family to initially acquire about 55% of the club's shares, while the energy drink company would hold 15%, according to the French sports daily, which does not detail the financial amount.
The current president and majority shareholder, Pierre Ferracci, would retain 30% until 2027, at which point he would exit the club and his shares would transfer to the Arnault family.
Negotiations date back to April and have been prolonged because Ferracci wanted to reach an exit agreement with the club's current minority shareholders, among whom is the emirate of Bahrain.
The current leader of Paris FC wanted to leave his club in the hands of a French businessman, or at least a European one, who understood and respected "the DNA of Paris FC," such as youth development or its commitment to women's football, and not an American investment fund, highlights L'Équipe.
The Arnaults, whose wealth is estimated at around 218 billion dollars, would enter Paris FC through the family investment company (in which LVMH founder, Bernard Arnault, and his five children participate) and not through the group, although it is not ruled out that LVMH could sponsor the team.
Paris FC was founded in 1969 and plays in the small yet charming Sébastien Charléty stadium, in the southernmost part of the French capital, with a capacity of 20,000 seats.
In 1970, it merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain, but the union lasted only two years, as Paris FC regained its independence and name in 1972 due to several disagreements among the entity's leaders.
