"We have new partners." Christophe Petit, one of the two shareholder presidents of Versailles (National), faithful to his discretion, did not want to tell us more. But for a few days, the arrival of entrepreneurs from the "north" was evoked around the club which has just finished 5th in National and which was plagued by great financial difficulties under the background of madness of grandeur. As revealed by the Team, it is Alexandre Mulliez (37), grandson of the founder of the Auchan group, former vice-president of Auchan Retail France and director of several companies. He will be accompanied by his right-hand man Fabien Lazare.
Initially, with the help of Didier Quillot, the former director general of the LFP, Christophe Petit and Julien Ridon were looking abroad. American investors were particularly interested in the club. But even if it is lower (around 3 million euros), they favored the offer of Alexandre Mulliez who will become majority shareholder while leaving them a place. Petit and Ridon, now a minority in the capital, will remain on the board of directors.
The arrival of a new shareholder with a large financial surface should reassure the DNCG. Because with a deficit estimated at several million euros, the risk of bankruptcy was very real for Versailles which had late payments (certain salaries, the rental of the Jean-Bouin stadium or for service providers ...). The new shareholders will certainly have to downsize. But it will be necessary to assume the big salaries of the players who had signed for two years or more. If some are offered to other clubs of National, their price makes a lot of ...
Coach Cris is already gone
The construction sites are also numerous to start by finding a stadium to play the matches. Versailles should not, in any case, continue to Jean Bouin. Walter Luzi Stadium in Chambly is a possibility but it is still far from being done.
After the departure of Cris, whose style of play will not leave an imperishable memory to the followers of Versailles, a new coach will be quickly appointed.