Acquisition of ASBH by an Irish investment fund: this will be confirmed in the coming days

Le club devrait changer de mains dans les jours à venir. Midi Libre – Michael Esdourrubailh

Ce lundi 7 octobre, Robert Ménard, le maire, a eu une nouvelle réunion avec les repreneurs de l’ASBH. Le rachat du club avance et pourrait même se concrétiser en fin de semaine.

The purchase of ASBH by the Irish investment fund, which wants to take over its destiny, is well on track. This is what Robert Ménard assures us. This Monday, October 7, late in the morning, the mayor met once again with the buyers. The goal was to settle the final details: ” We have reviewed the shareholders' agreement (*), explains the chief magistrate. We have changed a certain number of things. We have sent a new version to the buyers. Our lawyer has forwarded it to them. If there is no problem, we will then pass it on to the Rugby Regulatory Authority (formerly DNACG). Dominique Debreyer, its director, confirmed to me that when he has received it, the agreement will be given. The shareholders' agreement only concerns the governance arrangements, on how to run the company. The financial agreements have already been settled."

"The final stages are progressing well"

Robert Ménard believes that the buyout should be finalized fairly quickly, perhaps even in the coming days: “They said they wanted to pay the money before Friday, October 11, specifies Robert Ménard. They were supposed to do it in two installments, they assure that they will do it, even, in one go. The final stages are progressing well. It's not a question of going shopping at the supermarket! This is why we are very careful."

As for the players in this takeover of the club, the names of South Africans Andrew Merhtens and Bob Skinstad (who attended the Feria match between Béziers and Narbonne) and Englishman Johnny Howard are still circulating.

(*) The shareholders' agreement defines certain rules that meet the needs of the company and those who make it up. Confidential, it allows, among other things, to strengthen the stability of the company and its sustainability.

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