Home Sport live International Soccer Ex-Germany star Oliver Kahn initiates talks to acquire financially struggling Bordeaux

Ex-Germany star Oliver Kahn initiates talks to acquire financially struggling Bordeaux

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Ex-Germany star Oliver Kahn initiates talks to acquire financially struggling Bordeaux

PARIS — Oliver Kahn, the former German national team goalkeeper, has initiated talks regarding the acquisition of the financially troubled French football club Bordeaux, as stated by the club’s vice-president on Friday.

Arnaud De Carli revealed in a telephone interview that Kahn is now in direct communication with Bordeaux’s president, Gérard Lopez. This development follows an initial outreach made through Jacques-Henri Eyraud, a former president of Marseille. “I can confirm that Eyraud acted on behalf of Oliver Kahn when he approached us,” De Carli noted, indicating that Kahn had first reached out to Bordeaux around three weeks prior. “There are no further updates at this moment.”

Kahn himself confirmed to a German publication that the discussions have commenced, although they are still in the preliminary stages.

Bordeaux, which boasts a glorious history as a six-time champion of France, has seen its fortunes decline dramatically and now finds itself in the fourth tier of French football, grappling with debts amounting to 118 million euros ($128 million). The once-renowned club, where notable players like Zinedine Zidane and Alain Giresse once graced the pitch, was relegated to National 2 league last summer after failing to offer the necessary financial assurances required by the DNCG, France’s football financial regulatory body.

The club faced an initial relegation to the third division and subsequently fell into receivership due to a ruling from the local commercial court, resulting in another drop in its status. Although this process provided a temporary freeze on the accumulated debt, it forced the club to forfeit its professional status.

De Carli mentioned that it remains uncertain what kind of financial backing or investors Kahn might bring into the situation. “We made efforts to discern more about the financial sources involved,” he commented. “However, they preferred not to disclose specific fund details, which is normal at this stage. I anticipate they will return with more information.”

Bordeaux is scheduled to meet with its creditors on January 15th, where the club hopes to extend the freeze on its debts until the conclusion of the current season. The club, which recently signed former Liverpool and England striker Andy Carroll, currently sits in fourth position in its division, with just one promotion opportunity available.

The supporters of Bordeaux are divided over the management of the club, leading to conflicts last month between the two main Ultras fan groups outside the stadium, reviving tensions from the previous season. Kahn, now 55 years old, was once celebrated as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world, having made over 600 appearances for Bayern Munich, where he earned numerous accolades and helped Germany clinch the European Championship in 1996, as well as reach the World Cup final in 2002.