Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky has pitched a €1.1bn funding in closely indebted French grocery store group On line casino, in a problem to the present controlling shareholder Jean-Charles Naouri.

The shock supply from On line casino’s second-biggest shareholder comes as Naouri is already in unique deal talks to mix its French retail enterprise with Teract, a smaller meals retailer backed by a trio of distinguished French businessmen.

On line casino, which Naouri controls through a 51 per cent stake, stated on Monday that it “acknowledged the proposal” from Kretinsky and stated it might “result in a change of management of On line casino and to a dilution which is likely to be very important for current shareholders”.

On line casino stated it was additionally contemplating asking for a mediator to be appointed to supervise the negotiations with Kretinsky in addition to the proposed Teract deal, each of which might require the log out of its financial institution lenders and bondholders.

If finalised, the supply from Kretinsky would supply On line casino with an injection of recent capital. Nevertheless, it will additionally enhance Kretinsky’s stake in On line casino to about 40 per cent, making him the biggest shareholder, based on individuals briefed on the proposals. Naouri has beforehand rejected different potential offers, resembling with bigger rival Carrefour, that may have led him to lose management over the meals retailer he spent many years constructing.

It stays to be seen if Kretinsky’s transfer will throw a wrench in On line casino’s plans to tie-up with Teract, however two individuals near the scenario stated Naouri was unlikely to simply accept dropping management over On line casino. Kretinsky made the unsolicited supply in response to the developments with Teract, and it was not one thing that Naouri sought out, they stated.

Each On line casino and the 4 dad or mum firms via which Naouri controls the meals retailer face a looming wall of debt repayments. On line casino, which owns the Franprix and Monoprix chains, should pay again €1.2bn in debt maturities in 2024 and €1.8bn in 2025. Rallye, the holding firm via which Naouri controls On line casino, entered a court-protected restructuring in 2019.

In a separate announcement on Monday On line casino stated it was persevering with unique negotiations with Teract looking for to finalise a deal that may hive off On line casino’s French retail community and mix it with Teract’s natural meals and backyard centre enterprise, whereas injecting as much as €500mn in new funding into the operation.

Teract was fashioned in a Spac deal involving Invivo, a farmers’ co-operative, and entrepreneur Moez-Alexandre Zouari, tech billionaire Xavier Niel and funding banker Matthieu Pigasse.

In a lift for that potential tie-up, Groupement Les Mousquetaires, which operates Intermarche, the third-biggest grocery store chain in France, stated it was contemplating investing within the new group. Additionally it is in discussions to increase its buying alliance with On line casino by two years to 2028.

Clément Genelot, analyst at Bryan Garnier & Co, referred to as Kretinsky’s proposal “very shocking as Mr Kretinsky has all the time been fairly discreet”.

“In all circumstances, Mr Naouri now seems to be more and more set to lose his grip on On line casino faster-than-initially anticipated with renewed chapter dangers on his holdings above,” Genelot added.

Below Kretinsky’s proposals, EP International Commerce — an entity affiliated together with his funding automobile VESA Fairness Funding, which owns 10 per cent of the retail group — would inject as much as €750mn in extra capital in On line casino. Fimalac, one other On line casino investor managed by French businessman Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, would inject as much as €150mn, whereas different current On line casino shareholders would put in as much as €200mn.

The proposal would additionally embody money repurchases of On line casino’s unsecured debt, changing it into fairness. The corporate’s collectors would additionally have to log out on any change of management.

On line casino shares, that are down over 60 per cent up to now 12 months, gained 2.4 per cent in morning buying and selling in Paris.