Oliver Kahn (foto: uradna spletna stran kluba)
Oliver Kahn has withdrawn from a €50 million takeover bid of Bordeaux after reviewing the club’s financial and legal situation.
Oliver Kahn has officially withdrawn from his plans to buy French fourth-tier club Bordeaux, citing concerns over the club’s financial, operational, and legal situation.
The former Bayern Munich goalkeeper and CEO submitted a letter of intent to Bordeaux’s commercial court last week but has since had a change of heart. In an open letter to the club’s supporters, Kahn announced that he would no longer pursue the €50 million investment, which would have included taking over the club.
"After reviewing the financial, operational, and legal information presented to us last week, we have come to the carefully considered decision—despite extensive preparatory work and rigorous analysis—not to move forward with our takeover plans," Kahn wrote.
Kahn initially expressed interest in January, later visiting Bordeaux in February alongside Jacques-Henri Eyraud, the former Marseille president and his business partner. The pair met with local officials and the city’s mayor to discuss the club’s dire financial situation.
On June 13, Bordeaux’s commercial court is set to evaluate a recovery plan proposed by current president Gérard Lopez, who has submitted a ten-year roadmap aimed at reducing the club’s debt from €94 million to €26 million. The plan hinges on repayments to creditors, split into classes based on priority and shared economic interest, and includes multiple scenarios based on league performance.
Bordeaux, once a fixture in France’s top flight, was relegated in 2021, and last summer lost its professional status. The club is currently in the fourth division, having also vacated its training centre and fallen under the protection of the commercial court.
Kahn’s decision deals a further blow to any short-term hope of reviving the fallen giant, leaving Lopez’s proposal as the last remaining rescue option—pending court approval.