NEAL HAMBERG/BLOOMBERG NEWS
EXCLUSIVE: AC Milan set for showdown talks with Chinese consortium amid Jorge Mendes’ interest
Fininvest is still negotiating with Sonny Wu’s consortium even if the exclusive negotiation agreement expired in mid July. Chiefs of Berlusconi’s holding company believe e deal with the Chinese consortium is close to be reached, though the club’s sale is not a done deal yet.
Our pundit Federico Albrizio has exclusively learned that AC Milan and the Chinese consortium represented by American broker Sal Galatioto are going to meet in mid August (probably on the 16th) to hold showdown talks over the club’s sale. Fininvest expects to have all the documents regarding the club’s sale by that date and the above mentioned meeting should be the final one between the two parties and a positive response – either positive or negative – is expected to emerge after the showdown talks between the two parties.
Meantime, Fininvest has confirmed that the one with Galatioto and Gancikoff is the only ongoing negotiation at the moment.
But what would happen if (another) negotiation for the club’s sale collapses? Of course Fosun would officially enter the race to acquire the majority share in the club and there would be two possible scenarios.
The first one would see AC Milan and Fosun signing a new exclusive negotiation agreement by October-November with investments for new recruits that would be made in the winter transfer window.
The second one, which is the most difficult to realize, is an imminent agreement between AC Milan and Mendes who would have to accept the same conditions imposed on the Chinese consortium. The agreement would allow AC Milan to make new signings in the last two weeks of the summer transfer window with the duo Galliani-Mendes in charge of transfer negotiations.
At the moment, however, there is not even a negotiation between Fininvest and Fosun, but if Berlusconi’s holding group fails to find agreement with Galatioto and Gacikoff on the 16th of August, AC Milan know a new suitor is already waiting outside San Siro’s gates.
Federico Albrizio @Albri_Fede90, translated by Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
