ORLY, France (AP) — The Arnault family, owners of the LVMH luxury empire, plan to draw on Jürgen Klopp’s expertise as part of an ambitious project to transform Paris FC into a force in French soccer.
The family's takeover of the second-tier club includes bringing energy drink giant Red Bull on board as a minority stakeholder. Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, is set to join Red Bull as head of global soccer in January.
“I’ve spoken with Klopp several times, and he’s very, very excited about working with us,” said Antoine Arnault, son of billionaire Bernard Arnault.
Arnault spoke Wednesday at a news conference at the team’s training ground in Orly, located 14 miles (22 kilometers) south of Paris.
“We’re not coming in alone,” Arnault said. “Red Bull is by our side because we know what we’re good at and what we’re not. We have management skills, but none in football operations.”
Arnault highlighted plans to leverage Red Bull’s tools to tap into the Paris region’s deep pool of soccer talent.
“Paris has probably the best talent pool in the world, rivaling only São Paulo,” he said. “Red Bull’s revolutionary data tools will greatly aid our scouting efforts.”
Arnault also outlined plans for the family’s majority stake.
“This is a family project we started with my brothers and sister,” Arnault told reporters. “We thought it was a good idea to venture into something more thrilling than our usual activities. Football has been my passion since I was 10 years old.”
The family’s holding company, Agache, will acquire a 52% stake in the club, while Red Bull will hold 11%. Arnault will represent Agache on Paris FC's board.
Current club president and owner Pierre Ferracci will retain 30% for now. He said the takeover has been approved by the French league, with the deal expected to be finalized on Nov. 29.
By 2027, the Arnault family is set to hold around 80% of the shares, with Red Bull increasing its stake to 15%.
The acquisition positions Paris FC as a potential rival to Paris Saint-Germain, the Qatari-backed powerhouse. However, Arnault downplayed any rivalry.
“PSG is a club I’ve loved since I was 12 years old,” he said. “You’ll never hear me say anything negative about it. I don’t exclude supporting two clubs in the capital.”
Arnault described the project as a longterm effort to elevate Paris FC’s men’s and women’s teams to top-tier success.
Ferracci, who has led Paris FC since 2012, emphasized the importance of sustainable growth for the club.
“There’s a sovereignty issue in football,” Ferracci said, referring to the dominance of foreign ownership in French clubs. “If Paris FC can stand out with French investment, it would be a very good thing.”
Created in 1969, Paris FC’s men’s team has yet to achieve any significant success. This year, it leads the Ligue 2 standings with more than half of the season remaining, and its women’s team competes in France’s top-tier league and the Women's Champions League.
“We’re not doing this to make money,” Arnault said. “We want to provide emotional experiences for fans. We were deeply inspired by the Olympics and their positive impact. While we are not used to wasting money, we’ll work toward financial balance.”
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Tom Nouvian, The Associated Press
