Cambodian prince Norodom Ravichak has confirmed a bid to take over struggling Saint-Étienne, a cash-strapped club whose declining fortunes belie its former status as French football royalty.
After a rotten start to the season, Saint-Étienne are lying second from the bottom in France’s top-division Ligue 1, deep in the relegation zone. But Prince Charming may be coming to the rescue.
Norodom Ravichak, the Cambodian king’s nephew, has joined a bidding race for the ten-time French champions, commonly known as Les Verts owing to their iconic green jerseys. A Francophile businessman known for his humanitarian work, he plans to make “Sainté” a symbol of cooperation between his home country and its former colonial power.