Lyon - France's most successful team Saint-Etienne are poised to be sold to American owners, the Ligue 1 club revealed on Tuesday.
Chicago-based investment firm Peak6 are in "exclusive negotiations" about buying the iconic club formed in 1933, Saint-Etienne announced in a statement.
If the sale goes through they will become the second Ligue 1 side to fall under US ownership after tycoon Frank McCourt bought Marseille in 2016.
Peak6 already have a stake in Serie A's Roma and the English Premier League's Bournemouth and they are majority owners of Irish top-flight outfit Dundalk.
Saint Etienne's current majority shareholders Bernard Caiazzo and Roland Romeyer pointed to the success Marseille have enjoyed since their American acquisition.
"The presence of a French club with American shareholders in the UEFA Europa League Final demonstrates the relevance of US shareholders in European football."
Marseille take on Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final in Lyon on Wednesday.
Caiazzo and Romeyer added: "This new phase will ensure the club is positioned for excellence while keeping its core values.
Jerome de Bontin, a former president of Monaco and general manager of Major League Soccer team New York Red Bulls, is due to become Saint-Etienne's new president.
He said: "Saint-Etienne is one of the great French clubs with a proud history and strong traditions. We look forward to being a part of the club's future success."
The deal is subject "to consultation with employee representatives and to the finalisation of legal documentation", the club statement said.
Saint-Etienne won the last of their French titles in 1980-81.