TALKS for Manchester City’s owners to extend their global football empire to France have been paused, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The City Group have been gradually building their portfolio of clubs across the world.
AS Nancy were on the verge of a takeover from the City Group
In November they completed a deal to buy Indian side Mumbai City, taking their collection of clubs to eight.
These also include New York City FC, Melbourne City FC, Yokohama F. Marinos, Sichuan Jiuniu, Girona and Club Atletico Torque.
Ligue 2 side Nancy were set to be next, with the deal having been expected to go through by March 31.
But with France having been in lockdown for a fortnight by that point, talks were suspended.
Club president Jacques Rousselot shared his concerns with France Bleu Sud Lorraine: “I am worried.
“I am on the frontlines. It was supposed to be done on March 31. I had informed the smaller shareholders.
This is not the end of the road. I will have to continue to look for resources, ways to find solutions to assure that the club can function.
Jacques Rousselot
“The general assembly was due to occur at the end of March for the deal to be closed.
“We have been in quarantine since March 16 and the negotiations have been suspended.”
Despite these worries, Rousselot was determined to assure fans that this would not mean the end for the North Eastern club.
He said: “That does not mean that they have been stopped.
“This is not the end of the road. I will have to continue to look for resources, ways to find solutions to assure that the club can function.”
Nancy had been comfortably sat in 12th prior to the suspension of Ligue 2 with no relegation concerns – although this was not a satisfactory position for a club with recent history in the top flight.
France has so far been the fourth-worst hit country by coronavirus, having recorded over 160,000 cases, with 22,779 fatalities.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
