Posted on December 4, 2021 at 11:30 am by Arthur Montagne updated on December 4, 2021 at 11:31 am
While the sale of ASSE is underway, Michel Salgado and Serge Bueno have spoken of their respective ambitions to take over the Forez club.
Since November 23, the sale of the ASSE has entered a new phase. In fact, the projects of Norodom Ravichak , Jean-Michel Roussier and Olivier Markarian have all been rejected by KPMG , an audit firm responsible for examining the applications. The reasons differ since the Prince of Cambodia is accused of having provided false documents while the other two candidates have not provided sufficient financial guarantees. But above all, in the meantime, other much more important projects have emerged, two of which seem to stand out. It is about the Russian file carried by Roman Dubov , president of the company Total Sport Investments , supported by the Russian billionaire Sergeï Lomakin , and the local project of Serge Bueno, founder of the Smart Goog Things company.
Salgado talks about the ambitions of the Russian project
And the main candidates begin to emerge from the silence. This is particularly the case with Michel Salgado . The former Real Madrid player is indeed the sports advisor of Roman Dubov , and he was present at Geoffroy-Guichard in the company of the president of Total Sport Investments Sunday to witness the defeat of ASSE against PSG (1-3). “It was a 'leisure and business' trip. I work for a holding of two Russian people, who run this group, and we have several teams in Europe, ”explains Michel Salgado in an interview with beIN SPORTS, before confirming TSI 's desire to redeem the ASSE . “We are trying to enter a country like France with good training centers. We saw how Saint-Etienne was as a club. Saint-Etienne also pleases us because it has a very strong training center. We are looking for a club that trains and leaves good players, Saint-Etienne is one of them, ”he adds. Consequently, Michel Salgado formalizes the candidacy of the Russian project carried by Roman Dubov and the billionaire Sergeï Lomakin , 986th world fortune according to the American magazine Forbes .
Bueno wants to surprise
But the Russians will not be alone. Indeed, a local project, dear to Roland Romeyer , is emerging. L'Equipe revealed in its columns that Serge Bueno , founder of the company Smart Good Things, had the firm intention of preventing ASSE from going under the strange flag. And for Le Progrès, the Franco-Israeli businessman confirmed that he was going to send an offer. “Because it is the club of my childhood, because it is the club which uninhibited football in France in the seventies. We are not going to let this club, this heritage, which is the beacon of the city, the beacon of the department, slip away. I will make a proposal within thirty days, “he says before going behind the scenes of his two meetings with Roland Romeyer:” I presented him with the outline of my project to take over the club. This project is supported by Smart Good Things and its current investors. There is not a single shareholder, but several, including investment funds. We will also appeal to the general public. Our offer will be greater than the amount of the bank guarantee (note: € 100 million), because the club needs more to get out of the rut and settle permanently in L1. You know, people oppose; I reconcile and that's what I do best. I will muster the people and the funds to buy the ASSE. I am going to mobilize businesses, local decision-makers, because we cannot allow this national monument that ASSE to go abroad. I will of course be the majority shareholder through my company. But I’m not making an ego story. There are a few good professionals within the club. We'll see who we put. Therefore, Roland Romeyer and Bernard Caïazzo are preparing to receive at least two offers for the sale of ASSE. And that may not be all since two American companies, 777 Partners and Terrapin, are also involved.