Sheffield Wednesday bidder James Bord set to buy former French champions for €1
Former Sheffield Wednesday bidder and poker professional James Bord is set to acquire another fallen giant of European football after agreeing a deal to buy Girondins de Bordeaux. Bord, whose Park Bench investment vehicle already owns Scottish second-tier side Dunfermline Athletic, is set to take control of Bordeaux from Gerard Lopez for the nominal sum [...]
Sheffield Wednesday bidder James Bord is on the verge of purchasing Girondins de Bordeaux for the symbolic price of €1. The Argentine-born Englishman, 45, and his business partner Evan Sofer had previously aimed to buy Sheffield Wednesday out of administration, but their agreement fell through. The duo now focuses on Bordeaux, a six-time French champions club that has faced financial hardships, leading them to the lower leagues.
Bordeaux, which boasts former players like Zinedine Zidane, Alain Giresse, and Jean Tigana, was on the brink of liquidation this summer due to debts of approximately €26 million. Park Bench, a company looking to invest in Bordeaux, seemed to withdraw its interest after the club was consigned to the regional leagues. However, a compromise was reached, with Gerard Lopez, the club's president, giving up half of the debt owed to him.
James Bord, a former banker at Citigroup and professional poker player, has a diverse background, having worked with Tony Bloom's Starlizard and founded data analytics company Short Circuit Science.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
