Trent Alexander-Arnold had been linked with a potential purchase of French side FC Nantes
Trent Alexander-Arnold is not in talks about acquiring FC Nantes. Reports in France had claimed the Liverpool star was bidding to take control of the Ligue 1 outfit.
French newspaper L’Equipe had claimed that Alexander-Arnold, 25, was fronting a bid with his father, Michael Arnold, to take control of the club, currently owned by Polish businessman Waldemar Kita, with the report also claiming that the Reds right back had previously been interested in AS Saint-Etienne and Le Havre earlier in the year.
The report had claimed that meetings had taken place in Geneva and that the bid amounted to €100m, including a straight €80m plus a seller credit of €20m accompanied by various bonuses of up to €40m. Given the current struggles of French football due to a diminished broadcast deal, and with valuations impacted, the numbers seemed very high for an asset of the status of Nantes.
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But sources close to Alexander-Arnold told the ECHO on Friday that the reports were “not true at all” and that the Liverpool ace was not readying himself to be a team owner.
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Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group had looked at the French market during the summer as they sought to add another European football club to their sporting portfolio under the FSG International banner, with talks having been held with financially stricken Bordeaux.
However, with some concerns over stadium ownership among other issues, including the current precarious financial situation across the French game, the talks never progressed and Bordeaux eventually fell into bankruptcy.
For Alexander-Arnold, whose future at Liverpool for the long-term still needs to be resolved, with his current deal up at the end of this season and interest high in the England international, he has had form for investing into sport outside his role with Liverpool.
Last year he was one of a number of famous faces to take a minority stake in the Alpine Formula One team, with actor and Wrexham owner Ryan Reynolds also among that group, as well as part owners of FSG, RedBird Capital Partners. Alexander-Arnold’s investment was done via Otro Capital.
Active players having ownership stakes in teams isn’t a new phenomenon, with ex-Liverpool player Sadio Mane having acquired French side Bourges Foot 18 in recent years. But, with Nantes a top-tier side and with the potential to meet Liverpool, or any other club Alexander-Arnold may end up at, in European competition, UEFA rules around having a decisive interest competing teams would have made a majority investment potentially problematic.
