By Paul Nicholson
April 18 – Both Milan clubs could come under Chinese ownership if reports are correct that AC Milan could be sold within eight weeks and if Suning Commerce Group complete on a proposed acquisition of a stake in Internazionale.
AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has for some time been expected to see out to Thai businessman Bee Taechaubol, but those talks have apparently broken down with Berlusconi having said that he must make a formal bid by the end of the season.
Waiting in the wings is a Chinese consortium prepared to pay between €600-700 million for the club.
The club’s financial broker Salvatore Galatioto, president of Galatioto Sports Partners which has sold a number of sports franchises in the US, told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “For obvious reasons I cannot reveal who the potential buyer is. I can only say that it is a Chinese group that has big ambitions and that is very, very interested in the club.”
City rival Inter Milan, majority owned by Indonesian Erick Thohir, who bought into Inter in early 2013, is expected unveil its own Chinese investor in Suning Commerce Group.
Suning recently bought Chinese Super League side Jiangsu, is looking at European expansion with a 20% stake in the Serie A club.
Thohir has been looking for other Asian financiers to invest in the club alongside him, though with the Chinese stock market having faltered so had his talks. The 20% stake in Inter would likely be made up of 14% of Thohir’s shareholding and 6% of former president Massimo Moratti’s, according to Italian reports. The cost of 20% is estimated at €60-90 million.
Inter Milan are currently fourth in Serie A and AC Milan are sixth, but both clubs are a long way from challenging reigning champions and table-topping Juventus. Inter trail by 18 points and are not guaranteed of securing a Champions League place. AC Milan may not secure a Europa League qualification.
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