FCNantes remains at the helm of its future after the failure of negotiations with the group of investors Phenix Capital, led by PauloTavares. The owner WaldemarKita announced the end of the discussions, describing the takeover project as “clearly not serious” and pointing out the absence of sufficient financial guarantees as well as the incompleteness of the file required by the DNCG. This decision comes after both parties had already reached the stage of exclusive negotiations, leaving supporters and observers of the club in a situation of uncertainty.
The takeover file was presented as an operation well underway, but several points were lacking. According to a press release from the Kita family, the lack of solid financial guarantees was a major obstacle. In addition, the DNCG emphasized that the submitted file did not meet the regulatory requirements, which strengthened the family's position in rejecting the offer. The club thus ended the talks, without however declaring a definitive abandonment of its sale project.
ThibaudVézirian, journalist specializing in football, provided clarification on the reasons for this failure. In a video posted on YouTube, he discusses a legal disagreement regarding the club's future risks. According to him, the investors wanted the Kita family to take on future legal problems, which was not accepted by the owners. Although this explanation offers additional perspective, it remains distinct from the reasons officially put forward by FCNantes.
EmmanuelMerceron, a recognized figure in club news, reacted on the X platform by contesting Vézirian's assertions. He declared that “he has been completely wrong about this deal from the start…”, emphasizing his disagreement with Vézirian’s analysis and affirming that the reasons for the failure remain unknown to the public. His reaction shows that the debates around the sale of the club remain lively and that the stakeholders do not yet agree on the facts.
At this stage, WaldemarKita remains in control of the club and has not announced a definitive abandonment of its sale project. Canaries supporters therefore remain waiting for a possible new candidate capable of presenting a complete file, complying with financial and regulatory requirements. The next buyer will therefore have to overcome the obstacles already identified to convince the Nantes owner of the viability of his project.