Metropolitans 92 will participate in the French league on a reduced budget / News - Basketnews.com

Even though the €2 million Metropolitans 92 were looking in order to be able to play in the French league haven't been found yet, the club's owner assured that Wembanyama's ex-team will have budget of at least €5 million.

Credit: IMAGO/PanoramiC Credit IMAGO/PanoramiC

While the Betclic Elite league had given the Metropolitans 92 a deadline until next Sunday (July 23) to decide their future, the town hall of Boulogne-Billancourt has ruled that the club will eventually play in France's top-flight, with a budget of up to 5 million euros.

The information took shape Wednesday evening and was confirmed by Luc Monnet, chairman of the board of directors of the company Boulogne-Billancourt Sport Development (BBSD), owner of the Metropolitans 92.

"We continue, we will have a team with a budget of €5 million and more," he told Le Parisien.

All discussions with potential investors broke down after the EuroCup refused accept the Mets in its ranks. The €2 million the club was looking for haven't been found yet. Only €500,000 have been gathered since last week.

For the past few weeks, the desire to shut down last year's league finalists had caused a real outcry locally and within French basketball. Still, the future looks daunting. The Mets are expected to have the smallest budget in the French league, and, as of July 20, their only active player is Lahaou Konate.

Elan Bearnais Pau Orthez, a club that was in a far better position last year (having 5 active players and a coach on July 25) didn't manage to avoid relegation to the second division.

Le Parisien mentions the name of Laurent Foirest, Vincent Collet's assistant in the national team, as potential candidate for the bench. However, the World Cup ends September 10 and there will also be administrative adjustments to be made, starting with the signing of the rental agreement with the town hall of Levallois for a five-year lease at the Palais des Sports Marcel-Cerdan, a case that has been dragging on since March.

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