Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille majority Owner Margarita Louis-Dreyfus on Wednesday said that she is putting the club “up for sale,” according to Jean-François Rosnoblet of REUTERS. The billionaire businesswoman said that she would “sell Marseille to the best long-term investor.” A source close to the club, whose sale has been rumored in the past, said that “several offers had been made in recent weeks.” Louis-Dreyfus, who has injected tens of millions of euros into the club in recent years, said that a club “backed by an individual like herself was no match to rivals supported by governments or specialised sports firms with deeper pockets.” She took control of the club “after the death of her husband Robert” in ’09 (REUTERS, 4/13). RMC SPORT reported OM General Dir Luc Laboz said, “It’s good news, and conforms to the specifications laid out by (club President) Vincent Labrune.” Laboz assured that he and Labrune “did not feel cheated” by Louis-Dreyfus’ announcement. Laboz: “Admittedly, we were not aware of the news release. But we’ve worked toward a sale for months, the fact that something has materialized can only delight us.” The sale is expected to happen before the summer, “in order to prepare for the next season.” Struggling with poor results, OM “is in a critical time having not won a league match at home in seven months” (RMC SPORT, 4/14). Labrune said in a statement on OM's website, "Since the death of Robert Louis-Dreyfus in 2009, Margarita's investment has been daily and without fail. Her principal wish today is to give a new boost to the club to leave it more competitive. It's very good news for all who love OM" (OM).
