Paulo Tavares fires back at critics over FC Nantes takeover

Paulo Tavares Fires Back at Critics Over Proposed FC Nantes Takeover

Prospective FC Nantes owner Paulo Tavares has broken his silence on social media to address mounting skepticism surrounding his group’s high-profile takeover bid. The proposed transaction, which would see investors led by Tavares acquire the Ligue 2 side from longtime owner Waldemar Kita for a reported nine-figure sum exceeding 100 million euros, has triggered intense scrutiny from fans, financial regulators, and football industry insiders alike.

The communication of Paulo Tavares has not calmed the criticisms, with Nantes supporters already impatient to know what the DNCG will think of the Canaris takeover file. These latter individuals question the seriousness of those who are ready to pay more than 100 million euros to buy the Canaris.

Reacting to attacks on social media, Paulo Tavares posted on X, formerly Twitter, that after nearly 30 years in international football, certain analyses make him laugh a lot, calling it fascinating to see self-proclaimed specialists who have never built anything or taken the slightest risk yet know everything about those who undertake. He added that there are those who talk, those who criticize, and those who do, stating that he has always preferred being on the pitch rather than in the stands of teachers of lessons, and telling them to continue because they entertain him.

Financial Regulators Prepare Strict Review of Phenix Sports Invest Bid

The Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion (DNCG) will review the takeover dossier within the next two weeks. According to regional reports from Ouest-France cited by Maville, the financial watchdog requires the purchasing camp—operating through Phenix Sports Invest—to immediately block 25 millions d’euros on an account to cover structural deficits. The DNCG’s evaluation process also demands a comprehensive independent morality background check on the buyers, detailed ownership disclosures, origin-of-funds documentation, and a strict three-year financing plan. Representatives for Tavares indicated to regional press that they expect to submit the required paperwork mid-week.

Supporters Express Deep Distrust as Brigade Loire Issues Warning

Fan groups remain fiercely skeptical of the shifting power dynamics at the Stade de la Beaujoire. Ahead of a recent 0-0 draw against Stade de Reims, the Brigade Loire ultras group displayed a sharp banner reading, Socpresse, Kita, après 25 ans d’errance, on veut tourner la page, mais pas réécrire la même histoire. Le FC Nantes mérite un repreneur sain, as noted by Hit West. In an earlier official statement, the supporters warned the club against trading one problematic era for another, using the provocative phrase troquer la peste pour le choléra. Local fans interviewed outside the stadium voiced lingering worries over the opacity of the Tavares project and whether the incoming investors possess a coherent vision for the club.

Around the Beaujoire over the weekend, the possible departure of Waldemar Kita, owner of FCN since 2007, was on the menu of all discussions among supporters. For Alain, a fan of the Yellow and Green for several decades, the sale is something everyone is waiting for because they need to get rid of Kita to relive a bit of what they knew with FC Nantes in the past, though not to just anyone, acknowledging fears regarding the Tavares project while maintaining that it is time to change direction. Before hosting Dunkerque this Saturday, October 17, FCN is ranked 13th.

Valuation Disparities and Industry Warnings Spark Debate

Financial analysts interviewed by Eurosport and Sport.fr have questioned the logic behind a valuation exceeding 100 million euros for a club currently plying its trade in Ligue 2 while posting annual losses near 20 million euros. A football transaction specialist quoted by Eurosport asserted that a struggling second-tier club losing that kind of money is worth closer to 20 million euros max, leaving only two stark possibilities: soit les racheteurs n’y connaissent rien, soit ce sont des escrocs. Conversely, figures associated with the consortium, such as Charles Kashema, have defended the price tag by pointing to Nantes’ storied history, strong brand identity, and valuable squad assets within the professional team and academy structure, according to Ouest-France and Sport.fr.

Waldemar Kita Nears Exit in High-Stakes Ego and Business Maneuver

For Waldemar Kita, who has owned FC Nantes since August 2007, the potential sale represents a long-sought validation of his financial demands. Eurosport reported that the 73-year-old Franco-Polish businessman steadfastly refused to sell the club for anything under nine figures despite multiple crises, relegation battles, and fan protests over nearly two decades. Industry experts note that even if the deal collapses, securing a 100-million-euro offer reinforces Kita’s narrative that he managed the club responsibly while handling regular personal injections to cover operational deficits—setting up a high-stakes standoff with regulators who remember past financial collapses at clubs like Bordeaux and Lyon.

An a former Ligue 1 executive recounted that Kita has often reproached the DNCG for its laxity with people like Gérard Lopez, John Textor, or even towards OM and its colossal deficits, while he had to release funds for the deficit every year and was always impeccable financially. The same source added that Kita is a super businessman who must have guarantees, and since he is facing amateurs here, he masters the situation. In 2019, Waldemar Kita had ended discussions with the British fund LFE after noting that it did not present the minimum bank guarantees demanded by the DNCG.