Sadio Mané, the standout talent from Senegal’s Al Nassr, has entered the world of football club ownership in France, joining a distinguished group of investors in the sport that includes luminaries like David Beckham, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes.
According to reports from ESPN, Mané has completed the acquisition of Bourges Foot 18, a French fourth-division club. His well-established connection with the club’s president, Cheikh Sylla, played a crucial role in finalizing the deal. Prior to this, Mané had provided financial support to assist the club in its player recruitment efforts. With the approval of the city’s mayor, Yann Galut, Mané is now deeply involved in the day-to-day affairs of the club.
In a video message marking the deal’s completion, Mané expressed his dedication, saying, “We’ve been working closely with the city for the past three years. Our goal is to nurture and revitalize the club. While the challenges are significant, I am confident that, with the continued support of the people of Bourges, we can achieve our objectives. I look forward to visiting Bourges very soon.”
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Bourges Foot 18 is located 250 kilometers from Paris in central France, but historically, the club has not risen beyond the French second tier. Currently, they find themselves in the second-to-last position in Group B of the Championnat National. The club was only formed two years ago as a result of a merger between two regional clubs.
The region also has ties to teams like Cannes, which experienced a notable decline since launching the career of French football legend Zinedine Zidane.
Sadio Mané’s journey led him to Al Nassr after encountering challenges at the Bundesliga powerhouse, Bayern Munich. He notably enjoyed a highly successful tenure with Liverpool, winning a slew of prestigious titles, including the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.