Will Olivier Létang soon be the future president of Lille? The hypothesis mentioned Tuesday on our site takes a little more depth. The Merlyn Partners SCSp fund communicated on Wednesday to confirm “having approached Gérard Lopez, the current owner of the Losc, with an offer to take over the club as a majority shareholder”.
“Merlyn is working with a team of experienced leaders in the world of football, including Olivier Létang, with a view to bringing the club a stable financial situation in order to help it cope in particular with the financial impact of the Covid and the uncertainty around the TV rights contract (Mediapro) ”, continue the authors of the press release Clearly, the two parties have entered into exclusive negotiations for a takeover of the club which could take place shortly.
“I am delighted with Merlyn’s interest in the club”
Moreover, Gérard Lopez indicates that he has taken note of Merlyn’s takeover offer and seems to record the future change of shareholder.
“I am happy that the work we have done and the sporting successes we have achieved in Lille are recognized by foreign investors in these difficult times for French football. I welcome Merlyn’s interest in the club and I will consider this proposal carefully and as soon as possible, in the interest of all stakeholders, comments Gérard Lopez. The difficulties related to the Covid and the TV rights contract mean that the time may have come for a change of business model with a new owner. “
In its press release, Merlyn presents itself as “an investment fund based in Luxembourg mainly active on the European market, on assets whose financial solidity it reinforces in order to ensure their long-term success. “In Lille, the change is clearly underway.
