Ronaldinho submits bid to secure AS Monaco Basket’s top-flight future

Ronaldinho has submitted a formal offer to take control of AS Monaco Basket, with the former Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan forward seeking to launch a new chapter in his career away from football.

According to French newspaper L’Equipe, the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner is working with the Andorran investment fund Clayton Sport on the proposed acquisition. The group has sent a letter of intent to AS Monaco Basket chief executive Oleksiy Yefimov.

The proposal comes as the French club faces a severe financial crisis and must find a rapid solution if it is to retain its place in the top division.

Ronaldinho and Clayton Sport are understood to have put forward an ambitious plan. It reportedly includes settling €2.5m in debts owed to the EuroLeague, as well as providing a €5m bank guarantee demanded by French football’s financial monitoring body, the Direction Nationale du Controle de Gestion (DNCCG).

The investors are also considering making a commitment lasting between three and five years. Under that plan, they could invest as much as €10m per season in the club.

Ronaldinho could contribute financially himself and is expected to play a central role in the project. If the proposal progresses, it would mark a significant change of direction for a player whose celebrated career was built on football pitches rather than basketball courts.

The Brazilian became one of the most recognisable players in world football during a career that included spells with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 after helping Barcelona establish themselves among Europe’s leading clubs.

His involvement in the Monaco basketball project would represent his most prominent move into club ownership or investment outside football. The proposed partnership with Clayton Sport now has to address the financial demands facing AS Monaco Basket, including the outstanding EuroLeague debt and the guarantee required by the DNCCG.

The financial situation means the club’s immediate priority is to secure its future in the French top flight. Ronaldinho’s offer, if accepted, would provide a potential route towards meeting those obligations while also funding the team over several seasons.

The details reported by L’Equipe indicate that the plan is not limited to a short-term intervention. The proposed multi-year investment could give the club greater financial stability, although the group’s letter of intent is part of a process that still needs to be completed.

For Ronaldinho, the move would take him into unfamiliar territory after a career defined by football’s biggest stages. His proposed role would combine investment with a visible leadership position as he seeks to help shape the future of AS Monaco Basket.