As reported by L’Équipe, after several months of intrigue over the future of the club, Ligue 1 Saint-Étienne continue to receive interest over the club’s potential sale. KPMG, who are responsible for assessing potential suitors, are now looking at a group of possibilities from abroad, plus interest from French holding company Smart Good Things.
Having visited the club for last week’s match against PSG, the Russian-led Total Sports Investment (TSI) sent a letter of intent plus the €100m bank guarantee mandated by KPMG. Negotiations are continuing with the fund backed Serguei Lomakin, who’s wealth is ranked as the world’s 986th biggest by Forbes, but no official offer has been made. Any bid would be conditional on ASSE remaining in Ligue 1 this season. They currently sit bottom.
American investment fund Terrapin Partners, who have been interested for some time, also fear relegation report L’Équipe. They too have yet to make a concrete offer. 777 Partners, a private investment company out of Miami, who are a minority shareholder at Sevilla and recently acquired 99.9% of shares in Serie A side Genoa, are also interested in Les Verts. Smart Good Things, meanwhile, are expected to submit their letter of intent soon, say the sports daily, with input from businessman Olivier Markarian also a possibility.