AS Monaco: a major European group enters the picture, CNOSF postpones its decision again

New twist in the AS Monaco Basketball case. While the CNOSF’s recommendation was hoped for as early as Wednesday then Thursday, it is now expected Friday, August 28 in the morning. According to Nice-Matin, this additional delay would be linked to the submission of new information likely to significantly change the financial analysis of the Monaco case.

A major European company reportedly took control of AS Monaco Basketball and committed to bringing in 10 million euros for the 2026-2027 season alone. A first portion of this sum was reportedly already credited to the club’s bank account on Thursday afternoon. At the same time, Benjamin Erisoglu, who had appeared in recent days among the potential candidates for takeover, announced that he was withdrawing from the case.

A European company reportedly took control of AS Monaco

The AS Monaco case presented to the CNOSF on Tuesday continues to evolve after the hearing. According to information published Thursday evening by Nice-Matin, a major European company has reportedly now entered the club’s ownership structure. The Riviera-based newspaper indicates that this new player reportedly took control of AS Monaco Basketball and committed to bringing in 10 million euros for the 2026-2027 season.

Above all, a significant first installment of this funding was reportedly already paid into the club’s bank account on Thursday afternoon. If this information is confirmed and taken into account as part of the conciliation, it would considerably change the financial situation presented in recent days.

On Tuesday morning, Xavier Le Cerf-Galle, Esq. was still mentioning a budget target close to 12.5 million euros. After the CNOSF hearing, Nice-Matin instead reported a scenario ranging between 6 and 7 million euros, based notably on 5 million euros in identified resources. The arrival of this new investor would thus allow Monaco to regain a much stronger financial base.

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The SNF reportedly gave its approval

Another piece of information put forward by Nice-Matin this Thursday evening: the Société Nationale de Financement reportedly validated the transaction. This green light is important in a case where the ownership structure and the financial guarantees provided by the various takeover projects have been at the center of discussions with French basketball authorities.

These new resources would be added to the revenues already documented by Monaco, notably several sponsorship contracts and transfer fees. The club also plans to launch its season ticket campaign as soon as its possible retention in Betclic ELITE is confirmed. The situation presented to the CNOSF would thus once again be different from the one presented at the Tuesday, August 25 hearing.

Benjamin Erisoglu announces his withdrawal from the project

At the same time, Benjamin Erisoglu announced Thursday that he was withdrawing from the takeover case. The entrepreneur from Cholet, CEO of Technitoit, had positioned himself in recent days with a network of investors and had notably communicated about a possible involvement from Ronaldinho. His project had ultimately not been examined during the conciliation hearing before the CNOSF.

Nice-Matin had reported that a letter of intent had been sent to Xavier Le Cerf-Galle, Esq. shortly after 3:05 PM on Tuesday, while the hearing had already begun more than an hour earlier. AS Monaco’s lawyer had explained that only elements submitted before the opening of the conciliation could be examined.

Benjamin Erisoglu now says he wants to “turn the page.” In a statement published on the website of the Cholet football club (playing in a regional league), he indicates that he is stepping away from the case while claiming to have identified two new potential investors. His time around the Monaco project was particularly turbulent. A flamboyant personality, the entrepreneur did not hesitate, in recent days, to send rather confusing text messages to AS Monaco Basketball’s advisors. His withdrawal comes especially at a time when the club appears to have found another financial solution of a significantly larger scale.

The CNOSF now waiting until Friday to issue its recommendation

The main consequence of these new developments concerns the conciliation timeline. The CNOSF was initially supposed to issue its recommendation Wednesday or Thursday after Tuesday’s hearing. According to Nice-Matin, the submission of new financial and ownership information would ultimately explain the additional delay taken by the conciliators. The verdict is now expected Friday, August 28 in the morning.

The Monaco club hopes to obtain a favorable recommendation allowing the FFBB to review its situation and, possibly, refer its budget back to the DNCCG. After the announced clearing of its historical debt, the identification of new revenue, and now the assumed arrival of an investor ready to bring in 10 million euros, AS Monaco claims to present a situation that has little in common with the one that led to its initial non-admission.

It is now up to the CNOSF, and potentially the FFBB and the DNCCG, to determine whether these new elements are sufficient to allow the 2026 French champion to return to Betclic ELITE.

Benjamin Erisoglu’s statement:

AS Monaco Basket: Benjamin Erisoglu turns the page, in the club’s best interest

I came into this case with a simple goal: to build a brand and restructure AS Monaco Basket. Training, developing, optimizing: that’s my job as an entrepreneur, it’s in my DNA, and my companies prove it every day.

The press is not a court, and everyone has their place. Today, the priority is the Monaco Basket club. So, simply put, here are a few clarifications, before turning the page.

“We wanted to keep 90% of the club without giving anything in return”: this is false

It was said that we wanted to keep 90% of the club without giving anything in return. This is false. That figure came from an initial proposal, made even before sharing the shares with our partners: Brazilian investors, Ronaldinho, and our advisors.

Nothing was set in stone: building a group of partners with several stakeholders takes time, and each person’s share is negotiated over the course of discussions, not all at once.

I also want to make this clear: I have no percentage in this deal. My role has always been to find investors, speed things up, and restructure the club. That’s exactly what we did.

A clear sporting priority: rebuild before aiming higher

On the sporting side, our priority was clear: hire a coach, build a roster of players, and aim for the club’s survival in the league.

We did not want to aim for European competitions this season — the club and its association first needed to be rebuilt on solid foundations, before looking further ahead.

We had also proposed a cheaper project, with half the budget. The idea was simple: give the club a more cautious financial framework, so as not to expose it once again to difficulties. This option went unanswered by the club’s leadership.

Guaranteed funds and several investors mobilized

We had the money, guaranteed by a bank, alongside an international industrialist who preferred to remain anonymous.

And we moved fast: within a few hours, we had signed two letters of intent and two non-disclosure agreements, obtained a bank guarantee, and our lawyers were already drafting the contract, validated by a Swiss lawyer, ready to be countersigned and sent to the bank so the funds could be released that very day — 1.2 million euros immediately, then 5 million two to three days later.

We even had two investors ready to each bring in 10 million euros by the following Tuesday, enough to fully close the deal.

Our Brazilian partners, including Ronaldinho, were ready to join us afterward to become shareholders.

“It was like magic, what we managed to accomplish” in such a tight timeframe.

A CNOSF hearing with no chance to present the case

One point remains to be clarified: we unfortunately did not have access to the video conference during the CNOSF hearing, which prevented us from presenting our case that day.

We believe it would be useful for all the relevant administrative bodies to meet again. Our letter of intent is signed, proof of funds is in the accounts: we took every necessary precaution, belt and braces.

We hope the commission can review this case again and give us the chance to speak.

“Stop tarnishing Monaco’s image”

The most important thing today is to stop tarnishing Monaco’s image.

Monaco is a brand known and admired around the world, carried by a unique history and standard of excellence.

Let’s get back to the essentials: what venue, what project, what club for the future of AS Monaco Basket.

We hope the commission will agree to hear the club to close this case, so that everyone can focus on the championship.

Two new potential investors identified

Before closing this chapter, we identified two new potential investors, serious and already in discussions with us, ready to commit to the club’s future.

We are making them available to whoever can move this case forward.

Oleksiy Yefimov and his lawyer are very good managers.

I have nothing else to add: I am stepping away from this case, and I wish them, as well as the club, all the best going forward.