GdS: How RedBird brought Toulouse back to Ligue 1 in two years with just €30m | OneFootball

When Toulouse were relegated from the op flight in France two years ago, RedBird Capital stepped in. The same firm that are in talks with Elliott Management over buying AC Milan, with a clear plan in mind.

The American-based firm has put €1.3bn on the table and that figure could rise to €1.8bn in the future, as per various reports. Talks with Elliott Management are thus advanced and there is confidence that a deal can be closed.

Gazzetta Dello Sport have decided to take a look at RedBird’s venture at Toulouse, as the club earned promotion to Ligue 1 this season. Six players in the top XI, the best manager, top goalscorer and top assist man crowned Toulouse’s success.

In short, this season was a masterpiece from the French side who are back in the top flight after just two years. RedBird bought the club for a mere €20m back in 2020 and promised to bring the back to Ligue 1, which they have now delivered on.

Furthermore, they have done it with a budget of less than €30m, focusing on their own academy and also advanced data analytics. Ten criteria were identified from the first season, when they were knocked out in the play-offs, and predicted them to remain in the top two along with Ajaccio. That ended up being the case.

Gerry Cardinale, the founder and CEO of RedBird, appointed the experienced Damien Comolli as the president of the club, and the latter appointed Philippe Montanier in 2021. Working closely with data analytics, great success has been achieved.

RedBird will now sanction a budget of €40m and the goal is to earn safety rather comfortably in the first season and then fight for the top six in the second season. However, always with the data to guide them.