Ronaldinho wants to buy AS Monaco through an investment fund based in Andorra
The former Brazilian footballer has presented an offer endorsed by Clayton Sport to assume control of the club and face its financial problems
ormer Brazilian football star Ronaldinho has entered the race to take control of AS Monaco's basketball club with a bid backed by Clayton Sport, an investment fund based in Andorra, according to French newspaper L’Équipe.
The proposal comes at one of the most difficult moments in the Principality club's recent history, as AS Monaco faces a deep financial crisis and is fighting to secure its place in the top tier of French basketball following a turbulent summer.
Ronaldinho submits bid to take control of the club
According to L’Équipe, AS Monaco chief executive Oleksiy Yefimov received an email on Monday evening containing a letter of intent signed by Ronaldinho and Clayton Sport to take control of the club.
The proposal came as a surprise to the club's management, which only hours earlier had expressed optimism about negotiations with Helen Holdings, the group led by former NBA player and All-Star Jamal Mashburn, which had until then been the only known candidate to take over the club.
Ronaldinho and Clayton Sport's proposal includes paying the €2.5 million debt owed to the EuroLeague, as well as providing a €5 million bank guarantee, the amount required by the financial body overseeing professional basketball clubs in France.
The plan also involves an investment of approximately €10 million per season for between three and five years. Ronaldinho would also reportedly have an important role within the club's new structure, although his exact responsibilities have not yet been specified.
€24 million in accumulated debt
AS Monaco's crisis intensified on July 3, when the DNCCG rejected the club's registration for professional competitions for the 2026-2027 season, arguing that its financial guarantees were insufficient.
The club's accumulated debts amount to around €24 million, including €8 million in liabilities recorded at the end of June and another €16 million provided by the Principality of Monaco to allow the club to complete the previous season.
The situation has also led to the club's exclusion from the EuroLeague, a competition AS Monaco had played in for the previous five seasons. During the 2025-2026 campaign, the team reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by Olympiacos.
Russian owner leaves the club
The club's financial situation is also linked to the departure of Russian businessman Aleksej Fedoricsev, who had been the club's owner and main financial backer since 2022. He is reportedly set to transfer his shares as part of the restructuring process.
Under Fedoricsev, AS Monaco's budget exceeded €38 million during the 2025-2026 season. Any new owner will have to significantly reduce spending.
Mashburn's project, for example, envisaged operating with an annual budget of approximately €12.5 million.
Mashburn remains in the running
Helen Holdings had submitted a €7 million bank guarantee to the Appeals Chamber of the French Basketball Federation (FFBB), but its application was rejected on August 1 for failing to meet the regulatory deadlines.
Despite the setback, negotiations continued, and AS Monaco confirmed on Monday that talks with Helen Holdings had reached an advanced stage, with the parties reportedly close to an agreement.
The emergence of Ronaldinho and Clayton Sport now introduces a new candidate into the takeover process and provides another possible route for resolving the club's future.
AS Monaco has until August 18 to submit its documentation to the CNOSF (French National Olympic and Sports Committee), the appeals route the club plans to use in an attempt to overturn its exclusion from the Betclic Élite, France's top basketball division.