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Liverpool’s owners are in talks to buy the beleaguered French club Bordeaux.
Fenway Sports Group (FSG), whose sporting portfolio includes the Boston Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Penguins, had revealed plans to acquire another club when they appointed Michael Edwards as their CEO of football.
Now they say they are in “the early stages of dialogue and engagement” with Bordeaux, the six-time champions of France.
Bordeaux, who are managed by former Liverpool winger Albert Riera, finished 12th in Ligue 2 last season. However, they have been demoted to the third tier by the body overseeing French football, because of concerns about their finances. They are appealing that decision and hope the potential buyout by FSG will help restore them to the second flight.
A statement from FSG read: “Fenway Sports Group has expressed interest in the potential acquisition of French football club Girondins de Bordeaux and is in the early stages of dialogue and engagement. While the process is at this exploratory phase, we will not be making any further comment.”
Bordeaux added in a statement: “FC Girondins de Bordeaux is continuing its discussions with Fenway Sports Group in view of the DNCG [Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion] appeal committee.
“At the hearing on 27 June, the DNCG had granted a stay of proceedings for FC Girondins de Bordeaux in order to provide all the necessary guarantees for the financing of the 2024-2025 season. For the moment, the progress of the case has led the DNCG to relegate the club to the National Championship 1.
“The club is appealing this decision and now has the time to finalise one of the options that will guarantee the financing of next season.
“As such, the project to sell a majority stake in the capital to Fenway Sports Group was presented this morning to the DNCG in the presence of its representatives and we are working, hand in hand with them, as part of the continuation of negotiations and due diligence.”
Besides Edwards, FSG have appointed Julian Ward as their technical director and Pedro Marques, formerly of Benfica, as director of football development.
