Official Statement

Six months since the new ownership team took over at FC Girondins de Bordeaux, saving one of French football's most iconic clubs from an ignominious administrative relegation, the club has adopted a long-term restructuring strategy aimed at building for the future. In just a few months, the new directors have established a sound economic strategy designed to balance the books and set the club on a brighter path. They also remain committed to transparency, in the best interests of all those who love the club.   Balancing the books Having racked up losses of over €100 M over the past two seasons, next year the directors plan to cut the operational shortfall by 40% compared with 2020/2021. This will be achieved by streamlining operating expenses (reducing the wage bill, finding savings and increasing revenue), rather than selling off the club's brightest talents, the choice made by the former owners to pay off the deficit from 2019/2020 (Koundé sold for €20M, Tchouaméni for €17M), sacrificing the quality of the squad in the process.   A long-term strategy of value creation Over the past six months, the Club has adopted a new value creation strategy based on the recruitment and development of young talent and a more rigorous approach to managing the wage bill, reducing the average salary offered to new signings (by 45%) while also bringing down the average age of the squad. The goal is to restore the club's ability to create value in the coming months and years. In just a few months, the average age of players joining the first team squad has fallen considerably to reach 23, down from 31 in 2020/2021. The club is now focused on investing for the future, rather than spending money on players who have already reached their peak.   Graph 1 - The value creation strategy adopted by the new management: average salary of new signings and mean age of new recruits

A strategy focused on modernisation and professionalisation As well as turning the club's finances around, the new directors have a long-term vision on how to modernise and professionalise our structures, in order to provide our elite players with the very best support. As always, the aim is to bring about lasting improvements in the club's sporting performance. The owners recently announced the creation of a new pro centre, an investment of €1 million, and a new catering service for all club employees. The club has also signed a new partnership with Médical Stadium to provide first-class medical support.   Restoring the bond of trust with supporters Since taking over at the Girondins de Bordeaux, the new ownership team has been working hard to repair the relationship with the club's passionate fans, who have continued to support the teams through thick and thin. These efforts have been reflected in the renewed sense of enthusiasm around the club, in spite of disappointing recent results. Over the past few months, several big games have been total sell-outs and the number of season ticket-holders at the Matmut ATLANTIQUE is now a record 12,800. We have sold more than 3000 shirts in recent months, including 1881 collectors' edition kits celebrating the club's 140th anniversary.   The new ownership team would like to thank the supporters wholeheartedly for their passion and loyalty, and promise all Girondins fans that they are working tirelessly to modernise the club and deliver performances worthy of Ligue 1.