Paris Saint-Germain want a home to match the size of their ambitions, but their bid to take ownership of the Parc des Princes was rejected.
Paris Saint-Germain were accused by the mayor of the French capital on Thursday of making a “ridiculous” offer to buy the city-owned Parc des Princes stadium.
PSG are 10 years into a 30-year tenancy agreement but have targeted ownership of the stadium before going ahead with ambitious expansion plans.
According to the mayor, Anne Hidalgo, the Ligue 1 giants have proposed paying €38million to buy the site.
PSG are reportedly also interested in acquiring the Stade de France, with L’Equipe claiming the club would formally lodge an expression of interest on Thursday.
They are seeking a home big enough to match their ambitions, and the Parc des Princes, which seats close to 48,000 spectators, does not currently come up to the mark.
Speaking to French broadcaster RFI, Hidalgo said: “We had opened the door to the possibility of selling the stadium to our club.
“It is true that in the economic model of the big clubs, they are almost all owners and of course we have look at this argument.
“To sell, you had to respect the rules, because the stadium belongs to the Parisians, it does not belong to me.
“We are in a state of law, so there are procedures and we have to set prices that must correspond to the good. The club offered €38million. I think ridiculous is the right word. There is no longer any possible path.”
French president Emmanuel Macron has reportedly held talks with football’s world governing body, FIFA, about the possible sale of the Stade de France.
It would be a startling move for FIFA to buy the stadium that was built for the 1998 World Cup but may yet be feasible.
Hidalgo said she does not expect PSG to leave the Parc des Princes and move across the city, adding that it would be “very complicated to give up a stadium, even if the president of the Republic has opened this possibility”.
PSG’s Qatari owners have funded heavy spending on playing and coaching staff to turn the team into France’s dominant side, packed with superstars including Neymar, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Sergio Ramos.
The owners will not find it as straightforward to navigate local rules and regulations, though. Qatar built a host of spectacular stadiums for last year’s World Cup, when it wanted to show itself off to the world, but this is a different story.
Hidalgo said there was “maybe a bit of bluffing or maybe misunderstanding what our democratic rules are” when it comes to PSG eyeing up the Stade de France.
She added: “Yes, it’s true that with us, stadiums don’t spring up like mushrooms, it’s true that you don’t arrive with a bundle of millions and become the buyer of any property for any conditions.”