New Bournemouth owner Bill Foley was in France on Wednesday, finalising a deal to take a stake in Ligue 1 club Lorient.
The Cherries supremo wants to set up a multi-club group similar to that operated by Manchester City and is also looking at another side in Belgium.
It is understood that the American will initially take a 33 per cent slice of Lorient, with a view to eventually completing a full takeover.
An announcement is expected in the coming days.
Foley and his consortium formally took over at the Vitality Stadium on December 13, at the conclusion of Russian owner Maxim Demin’s 11-year association with the club in a deal thought to be worth around £120m.
He is also intending to swoop for a club in South America, in a move that would eventually see players shared around the group.
Lorient, in Brittany, are currently sixth in Ligue 1.Texas-born Foley, 78, also owns NHL franchise Vegas Golden Knights, and is estimated to be worth more than $1bn.
He is also the chairman of Fidelity National Financial, one of the largest insurance firms in the United States.