OGC Nice: "Our ambition is to permanently establish the club in French football" (J-P Rivère)

"This (new investors and ownership structure) is a step forward. It is necessary. And we will carry on working in the same direction. With your support, our ambition is to permanently establish the club as a leading team in the top flight of French football. We will work towards this in the coming years with additional projects," said Jean-Pierre Rivère, president of OGC Nice (Ligue 1), in an open letter to "everyone who loves OGC Nice", published on the club's website on 29/01/2016.

The English investor Edward Blackmore and a Saudi prince, whose identity has not been revealed, acquired a 49% stake in the shareholding of OGC Nice (Ligue 1), buying out shares belonging to four historic minority shareholders of the club (Gilbert Stellardo, Patrick Governatori, Jean Bessis and Louis Bacchialoni), on 29/01/2016. The two investors are expected to become majority shareholders of the club by the end of June 2016, as they are discussing the acquisition of 31% of the remaining 51% held by Jean-Pierre Rivère, which would bring their stake up to 80%.

"It is important to clarify that the…