Sports · Football · 5 hrs ago
Nantes owner reportedly wants to leave after takeover talks collapse
FC Nantes owner Waldemar Kita has reportedly decided he wants to leave the club, amid pressure over its poor start to the season and protests by some supporters.
Kita ended takeover talks with a group led by Paolo Tavares, saying it had not provided sufficient financial guarantees.
The proposed sale had reached an advanced stage, but the group had not completed the documents and guarantees needed for review by France’s football financial regulator, the DNCG.
The club’s staff committee also raised concerns about the buyers and their plans.
No change of ownership has been confirmed, and Kita and his son Franck remain in charge.
Other potential buyers have been mentioned, but the sources do not confirm a new deal or say when talks might resume.
Waldemar Kita reportedly ended takeover talks for FC Nantes, citing insufficient financial guarantees from the group led by Paulo Tavares.
A report says Kita now wants to leave the club, but no official departure has been announced.
The proposed takeover had advanced to a signed agreement, but required documents had not been submitted to France’s football financial watchdog, the DNCG.
The club’s social and economic committee unanimously opposed the proposed takeover, citing doubts about the buyers and their plan.
The reports say the group hoped to secure more funding and continue discussions, while other potential buyers were also mentioned.
- Who
- FC Nantes owner Waldemar Kita and the takeover group led by Paulo Tavares.
- What
- Kita stopped the takeover process, reportedly over missing financial guarantees; he is also said to want to leave the club.
- When
- Talks were stopped in October 2026; a report says the deadline for guarantees was 19 October.
- Where
- FC Nantes, in Nantes, France.
- Why
- Kita said the group had not provided sufficient financial guarantees, and the required DNCG file was not completed as expected.
Waldemar Kita
Paulo Tavares-led consortium
Financial guarantees
Waldemar Kita
Kita said the promised guarantees were not provided and stopped the process.
Paulo Tavares-led consortium
The group reportedly sought more time to mobilise investors and funds.
Takeover process
Waldemar Kita
Kita ended discussions after a deadline for guarantees passed.
Paulo Tavares-led consortium
The group said it was continuing steps to complete the takeover and hoped to resume talks.
Waldemar Kita and the Paulo Tavares-led consortium signed a sale agreement, according to Sport.fr.
Kita's deadline for the expected financial guarantees passed, according to information cited by Morning Foot.
Kita reportedly decided to stop the process, three days after the deadline.
Emmanuel Merceron said on X that Kita wanted to leave and could no longer take the situation.
- Owner
- Waldemar Kita
- Proposed buyer
- Consortium led by Paulo Tavares
- Agreement date
- 1 October 2026
- Guarantees deadline
- 19 October 2026
- CSE decision
- Unanimously unfavourable to the takeover
- Proposed sale price
- 100 million to 125 million euros, according to figures discussed on the Morning Foot podcast
3 sources
What people are saying
He really wants to leave. He absolutely can't take it any more. He's 74, let's not forget that.
I find the timing, the sequence, astonishing.
Posts on X
🚨🚨 UN ACCORD DE PRINCIPE A ÉTÉ SIGNÉ CE MATIN POUR LA VENTE DU FC NANTES par un pool d’investisseurs mené par Paulo Tavares !!!! 🤝💰💛💚 🗞️ AFP